Despite official pricing directives, retailers are charging significantly more for cooking oil, further burdening consumers already grappling with mill-level price hikes.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) has called for stricter monitoring at the retail level to protect buyers from arbitrary price gouging.
In line with government and mill owners’ decisions, the price of bottled soybean oil was officially raised by Tk14 to Tk189 per litre, and loose soybean and palm oil by Tk12 to Tk169 per litre.
However, in practice, none of these rates are being followed across key markets and consumers continue to feel the pinch.
Shah Newaz, a private sector employee , said, “Retailers are still profiting as before. Bottled oil is selling at Tk200. I asked for loose oil, and they demanded Tk180 per litre. It’s a free-for-all.”
This pattern is hardly new.
On 4 March, during a meeting with traders, authorities set the price of loose soybean oil at Tk160 per litre.
Retailers, however, disregarded this.
Even after multiple raids, the violations continued unabated.
CAB Vice President SM Nazer Hossain accused millers of pre-emptively hiking prices and holding consumers hostage.
“Now retailers are cashing in too. There’s no effective oversight. We’re deeply disappointed. Market monitoring must be strengthened immediately in the interest of consumers.”
Faiz Ullah, a deputy director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, said no formal complaints had yet been received regarding price violations.
“If we receive complaints of overcharging, we will take strict legal action,” he stated.
