Officials from the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection conducted extensive drives across Saturia upazila in Manikganj, seizing approximately 125 illegally stockpiled LPG cylinders and penalising several traders for price gouging and unhygienic food manufacturing.
Led by Asaduzzaman Rumel, Assistant Director of the Manikganj District Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection, the operation commenced on Wednesday morning, 7 October 2026. The inspection team comprised representatives from the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority, local sanitary inspectors, and armed battalion personnel who targeted various retail outlets, distribution hubs, and food processing units.
The market intervention followed growing consumer complaints regarding artificial shortages and inflated cooking gas prices. Officials discovered that retailers were selling single gas cylinders for between 1,900 and 2,000 taka, significantly above the government-fixed rate of 1,837 taka. During a raid on one retail vendor who kept only a minimal display in his shopfront, inspectors uncovered a concealed warehouse at his private residence holding around 125 stockpiled cylinders. The vendor received a 50,000 taka fine for illegal hoarding, and officials supervised the immediate sale of the confiscated cylinders to local residents at the official price.
In total, four gas traders faced financial penalties amounting to 90,000 taka. Mukhles, owner of Mukhles Enterprise, and Shahidul, owner of Abdullah Enterprise, were fined 5,000 taka each under Section 40 of the Consumer Rights Protection Act. Retired army officer Khorshed Alam, owner of Machranga Enterprise, was fined 50,000 taka under Sections 40 and 45, whilst local trader Aradhana Ghosh was fined 30,000 taka under Section 43.
Simultaneously, inspectors raided cottage-industry cottage cheese manufacturing units in the Dargram area of Saturia. Investigations revealed horrifying sanitary breaches; water tanks used to cool and wash the cheese contained live frogs, tadpoles, and mosquito larvae. Operators were also caught adulterating milk with vegetable fat, edible oil, and flour to increase product weight. Factory owners admitted that these contaminated products were regularly supplied to sweet shops across Dhaka.
Authorities issued an 80,000 taka fine across two cottage cheese units, ordering the immediate suspension of operations. The manufacturers were given seven days to renovate their facilities and meet sanitary standards or face permanent closure. Assistant Director Asaduzzaman Rumel affirmed that stringent enforcement against market manipulation and food adulteration will continue unabated across the district.
