Wednesday, September 27, 2023

8 businesses including Unilever and City Group and individuals sued for overcharging

The Bangladesh Competition Commission has served notices on the company and the individual to attend hearings on 26-27

News Desk : dhakamirror.com

The Bangladesh Competition Commission has filed lawsuits against eight people and businesses, including Unilever, City Group, Kazi Farms, Paragon Poultry, and Rashid Agro, alleging that they have illegally increased the cost of numerous necessities since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The commission has filed lawsuits against Abdur Rashid, owner of Rashid Agro Food Products Limited, and Belal Hossain, owner of Belcon Group, for allegedly overcharging the price of rice, as well as two companies – City Group and Bangladesh Edible Oil Limited.

Additionally, it has launched legal action against three distributors and manufacturers of eggs for allegedly raising product prices illegally. They are Amanat Ullah, president of the Egg Traders’ Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Kazi Farms Group, and Paragon Poultry Ltd.

Apart from this, separate cases have been filed against Kazi Farms and Paragon Poultry since as chicken producers they overcharged customers.

The commission has also filed a case against Unilever – producer and marketer of soap, detergent, and paste – which allegedly illegally increased the price of these essential products.

Competition Commission officials said the commission filed the cases on its own initiative on 21 September and sent notices to these companies to attend hearings in the commission’s own court on 26-27 September.

Md Mofizul Islam, chairperson of Bangladesh Competition Commission, told TBS, that the cases have been filed against individuals and organisations who have sharply increased the prices of various products and destabilised the market. The process of filing more cases for the same reason is going on.

However, the accused companies said the Competition Commission did not send any letter or notice to them regarding the cases.

Shamima Akhter, head of corporate affairs, partnership and communications of Unilever Bangladesh, said, “We have not received any such information. There is no justification for filing a case against us because we do not have any marketing or sales systems that violate the rules regarding competition.”

Biswajit Saha, director of City Group, said, “We have not received the letter yet. However, the Competition Commission is issuing such notices against many companies. We are doing business according to the law.”

Sources said the cases have been filed under Sections 15 and 16 of the Competition Act. According to Section 15, a company will be penalised if it creates a monopoly by influencing the market. And in Section 16, it is said that enterprises must not abuse their dominant position to manipulate product prices.

In recent times, there has been instability in the prices of rice, oil, eggs, chickens and soap, detergents and paste in the country. In addition to regular market monitoring, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has held meetings with the manufacturers and marketers of these products, and raised allegations of their illegally hiking product prices.

Recently, DNCRP Director General (Additional Secretary) AHM Shafiquzzaman said swift action will be taken against those responsible for creating instability in the market.

The price of rice has been high in the market for several months. A month ago, the price of coarse rice rose to Tk60 per kg, which was a record. Similarly, the price of fine rice rose to Tk85 a kg. Prices started to decline again due to the drives conducted by the authorities concerned and import of rice.

BCC Chairperson Md Mofizul Islam told TBS, “There are some corporate traders who just package rice worth Tk60-65 per kg and charge Tk80-85 for it.”

Similarly, traders illegally increased the prices of four eggs to Tk60-65, and broiler chickens to Tk210 per kg. Due to drives, the prices of eggs and chickens were low for some time, but they have increased again. Currently, four broiler chicken eggs are selling at Tk45-50 and broiler chickens sell at Tk170-175 per kg.

Following an inquiry, the DCRP requested that the commerce ministry to take action against people responsible for manipulating the price of eggs in a report that was delivered to it at the beginning of this month.

Manufacturers of toiletries raised product prices on the pretext that raw material costs had gone up, but the DNCRP discovered that prices for soap, paste, and detergent had climbed much more than anticipated.

Related News

Justice Obaidul Hassan sworn in as Bangladesh’s 24th Chief Justice

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Justice Obaidul Hassan took oath as the 24th chief justice of Bangladesh today (26 September). President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath at 11am at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban, witnessed by the president’s wife Dr Rebecca Sultana, Cabinet members, former chief justices, judges of both the Appellate and High Court divisions, ... Read more

Festival of Tolerance celebrated in Ctg

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Festival of Tolerance was held on Sunday at Zilla Shilpakala Academy in Chattogram with the goal of building a peaceful, tolerant, and harmonious Bangladesh. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organised the festival as part of its Partnerships for a More Tolerant and Inclusive Bangladesh (PTIB) project, with support from ... Read more

Bhuban Shil dies after seven days on life support

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Shil, a 55-year-old lawyer was shot by a stray bullet in the capital a week ago. Lawyer Bhuban Chandra Shil, 55, who suffered bullet injuries in the head during an attack on a police-listed terrorist in the city street a week ago, died at the intensive care unit of a hospital ... Read more

3 children run over by train in Mohakhali

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Three young lives were cut short on the street of Dhaka as they were struck by a train on Saturday morning. The incident occurred at 6am in Mohakhali area, when a train en route from Kamalapur to Dewanganj hit the children as they attempted to cross the railway tracks. The children, ... Read more

World Bank approves $300 million to accelerate learning for Bangladesh’s secondary education

News Desk : dhakamirror.com World Bank has approved a $300 million fund to help Bangladesh recover from learning losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic It will introduce supplementary online learning combined with in-class teaching to strengthen system resilience, improve learning outcomes and teaching quality, and reduce school dropouts, says a World Bank press release. “Bangladesh ... Read more

10th Asian Tourism Fair begins in Dhaka

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A three-day regional tourism fair aimed at promoting cross-border connections, improving cultural exchanges and boosting economic growth has begun in the capital. The fair styled ’10th Asian Tourism Fair and Bangladesh Tourism Development Summit 2023′ began at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Thursday. Md Mahbub Ali, state minister for civil ... Read more

49 athletes selected for admission with DU Sports Quota

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka University has released the list of 49 students initially selected to the 2022-23 undergraduate academic session for the sports quota . The list was published on Sunday (September 17) in a circular from the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences, and Law. The athletes include Towhid Hridoy, ... Read more

NID server will remain down for maintenance until 2:00 p.m tomorrow

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The National Identity Card (NID) server of the Election Commission (EC) has been down since this morning due to maintenance reasons, the Election Commission’s Information System Management Officer Aminul Islam said today. “It is to inform everyone that the NID server is undergoing maintenance. Due to this all services will remain ... Read more

Pushed off from moving bus in Gazipur, RMG worker dies

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A female garment worker died after she was allegedly pushed off a moving bus following an argument with the helper of the bus over fare on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway of Gazipur district on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Champa Begum, 30, wife of Abul Kalam of Mymensingh district. The incident ... Read more

From January to August 2023, 361 students commit suicide

News Desk : dhakamirror.com At least 361 school, college, madrassah and university students across Bangladesh killed themselves in the last eight months, revealed a study on Saturday. Aachol Foundation, a social organisation initiated by students, conducted the study titled — Students Suicide Rate Increasing: Which Way the Solution?— from January 2023 to August based on ... Read more

SSC exams in 2024 likely to start in February, HSC in June

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Secondary School Certificate examinations of 2024 are likely to start from the second week of February, according to a notice issued by different education boards on Tuesday. The Higher Secondary Certificate examinations of 2024 are likely to start from the second week of June, another notice issued by the boards ... Read more

Microbus catches fire on Purbachal Expressway

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A running microbus caught fire near Kanchan Bridge on Purbachal Expressway in Narayanganj’s Rupganj upazila this afternoon causing temporary tailback on the busy road. However, there were no report of casualties, reports our Narayanganj correspondent. Two firefighting units of Purbachal station brought the fire under control. Station chief of local fire ... Read more

Nine arrested for storming train, robbing belongings in Tongi

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Robbers boarded the Dhaka-bound Karnaphuli Express train when it was stopped near Gazipur’s Tongi last night and robbed its passengers. Nine people were arrested with sharp weapons and mobile phones in connection with the robbery, Ferdaus Ahmed Biswas, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhaka Railway Police Station, told our local correspondent today. The ... Read more

Parts of Bangladesh likely to see light to moderate rain

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions, at many places over Dhaka, Barishal and Chattogram divisions and at a few places over Rajshahi and Khulna divisions. Moderately heavy to heavy falls may occur at ... Read more

2 bodies washed ashore in St Martin’s Island

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Police have recovered the partially decomposed bodies of two unidentified men washed away by the tide on the beach of St Martin’s Island under Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar. The bodies were found on the beach about 4 kilometres south of St. Martin’s Jetty, at about 8:00am on Friday. Police estimated one ... Read more

Another physician dies from dengue in Dhaka

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A female doctor died of dengue at Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Friday. The victim, Mosammat Sharifa Binte Aziz, 27, died at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital at about 5:00am while undergoing treatment there. Sharifa is a daughter of Aziz Bhuiyan of Joypara village under Dohar upazila in Dhaka ... Read more

Car accident on Dhaka-Barisal highway kills intern physician

News Desk : dhakamirror.com An intern physician of a private medical college was killed yesterday after her car collided with a roadside tree at Gourandi on Dhaka-Barishal highway. Gournadi Highway Police Sub Inspector Mamun said the accident took place at 7:00am yesterday. According to the SI, Iqra Binte Hafiz (27), an intern physician of Medical ... Read more

Landslide kills Rohingya woman, her daughter in Ukhiya camp

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A Rohingya woman and her daughter were killed in a landslide on the foot of a hillock in Balukhali Rohingya camp -9 under Ukhiya upazila in Cox’s Bazar Monday late afternoon. The deceased are Jannat Ara, 28, wife of Anwar Islam, and their two-year old daughter Mahim Akhter. Armed Police Battalion ... Read more

Sundarbans inundated due to rain and tidal wave

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Heavy rain caused by a a depression in the bay and a tidal wave caused by the full moon have inundated the low-lying areas of Bagerhat. According to the additional district commissioner Hafiz Al Asad, 750 families in the district are currently suffering from the waterlogging disaster. However, locals said the ... Read more

‘Uncle, nephew murdered by colleagues’

Reveals PBI after a 5-year probe into death of two press workers News Desk : dhakamirror.com Two bodies, two mysteries unsolved. In November 2017, press worker Sohel Mia was beaten unconscious by unidentified assailants. He later succumbed to his injuries in a Dhaka hospital. His distant uncle, Iqbal Hossain, initially faced blame for the murder ... Read more