S M Nazer Hossain

 In local grocery markets across Bangladesh, large drums of loose edible oil are a familiar sight. Consumers bring their own small containers, and shopkeepers measure out the oil by weight; a routine transaction driven primarily by affordability for low-income households. However, this practice comes with an invisible toll. Regardless of the price paid, the buyer has no way of knowing whether the oil is safe, whether it contains essential nutrients like Vitamin ‘A’, or whether the drum used to store it meets basic health standards.

Edible oil is an indispensable source of daily nutrition in Bangladesh. Yet, the very ingredient meant to provide energy and sustenance has become a severe threat to public health. Loose oil accounts for the vast majority of the country’s edible oil market. This oil is frequently transported and stored in reused, non-food-grade plastic drums, many of which previously held chemicals, lubricants, or industrial raw materials. After a superficial wash, these same containers are filled with oil used for human consumption. Repeated reuse of these drums risks chemical leaching, making the oil toxic. Does this reflect administrative shortcomings, or does it raise concerns about consumer trust?

This is where consumer rights suffer the greatest blow. Access to safe food is a fundamental civic right. Yet every day, citizens navigate a market where product quality, origin, storage standards, and nutritional value are completely unverified.

The main danger of loose oil lies in how easily it can be adulterated and how challenging that adulteration is to detect. Because these drums lack proper labeling and traceability information, identifying the supply source is nearly impossible. As a result, ordinary people unknowingly purchase and consume oil that poses serious health risks.

Even more alarming is the failure to comply with legal mandates regarding Vitamin ‘A’ fortification. Studies reveal that 59% of loose edible oil samples in the market lack Vitamin ‘A’ entirely. One-third contain levels far below the legal requirement. Only 7% of tested samples met the government-mandated standard. Consumers are paying full price for a product legally required to be fortified, only to receive a depleted substitute. According to the National Micronutrient Survey 2019-20, 50.9% of children aged 6 to 59 months and 7.5% of non-pregnant, non-lactating women aged 15 to 49 suffer from Vitamin ‘A’ deficiency. Allowing unfortified, poor-quality oil to circulate under these conditions pushes public health toward a deeper crisis.

The most disappointing aspect of this issue is the gap between policy and practice. Under the Vitamin ‘A’ Fortification in Edible Oil Act, 2013, marketing oil in non-food-grade packaging is a punishable offense. Despite government directives to ban loose oil sales, field-level enforcement remains virtually non-existent. Consequently, everyday consumers remain deprived of fortified, safe oil.

This issue also exposes a critical social disparity. Low-income populations rely most heavily on loose edible oil, making the economically disadvantaged the primary victims of unsafe food practices. They ultimately end up paying a much higher price through chronic illness, reduced workforce productivity, and skyrocketing medical expenses.

Overcoming this vicious crisis requires strict, long-term policy enforcement. Firstly, transporting and selling edible oil in contaminated, non-food-grade plastic drums must be strictly prohibited. Secondly, edible oil entering the market must be packaged in food-grade bottles, pouches, or certified safe packaging. Thirdly, government agencies must conduct routine inspections, supply-chain tracking, laboratory testing, and market monitoring to ensure Vitamin ‘A’ fortification standards are strictly met. Building awareness across all sectors is essential to emphasize the harmful impacts of unsafe loose oil. Achieving this requires strong, coordinated action from the government, public health experts, policymakers, development partners, civil society, and the media. Consumer rights must be championed because public health is non-negotiable.

A state demonstrates true commitment to its people when it prioritizes food safety above all else. The time has come to permanently ban the sale of loose edible oil in hazardous drums and guarantee safe, fortified nutrition for every citizen. Commercial interests must never take precedence over human life.

Author: S M Nazer Hossain, Vice President, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB)