They collect the coarse rice from the Food Department. Later, it is converted into fine rice using machines as per their wishes. This does not end here, the fine rice is marketed in sacks of various renowned companies. In this way, they cheat the consumers and grab money.

A business establishment named Messrs. Khaja Bhandar in Pahartali, Chittagong city has been caught in such a fraud. The establishment has been fined 1.5 lakh taka for this.

On Friday (November 15) afternoon, officials from the National Consumer Rights Protection Department and National Security Intelligence (NSI) and Chittagong Metro conducted the operation.

Assistant Director of the National Consumer Rights Protection Department, Chittagong, Md. Anisur Rahman said that the establishment is converting coarse rice from the sacks of the Food Department into fine rice using machines in its own warehouse and marketing it under the name of various brands of rice. In addition, the company was selling and warehousing rice in sacks under various brands including Teer Marka Super Rice, Prajapati Marka, Nurjahan Brand, Chingri Fish Marka, Apel Brand. Along with this, the weight of the rice sacks was also found to be less.

Earlier, on the night of November 13, the Bangladesh Army conducted a raid on the warehouse based on information provided by the National Security Intelligence (NSI), Chittagong Metro Office. Even after finding discrepancies, the matter could not be resolved that day as there was no officer from the Department of Consumer Rights Protection. Later, the warehouse was taken into the custody of Pahartali Police Station. Later, this afternoon, another raid was conducted and Sahabuddin Mia, the owner of M/s. Khaja Bhandar, was fined Tk 1.5 lakh.