Shawdesh Desk:

A section of unscrupulous businessmen is producing substandard vermicelli and selling those in the name of popular brands across the country ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Illegal vermicelli factories mushroomed on the outskirt of the capital in some other parts of the country, ignoring the rules and regulations.

Seasonal vermicelli manufacturers become active Ahead of Eid to hefty profits by selling substandard vermicelli produced in makeshift factories.

Adulterated vermicelli is produced manually-operated machines in unhygienic conditions and the businessmen sell those items using the name and packaging of famous food producers, said Shah Md. Sajib, Executive Magistrate of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA).

Artificial colours and flavours containing harmful chemicals, substandard oil, animal fat, and butter oil are widely used in the production of vermicelli, said the official.

A team led by Shah Md. Sajib fined Banasree Lachaa Semai in Keraniganj Tk 2 lakh for producing vermicelli in unhygienic conditions and using expired flour.

They were mixing the vermicelli ingredients with bare hands in a dirty and shabby place.  They also don’t have the Certification of Marks (CM) of Bangladesh Standard Testing Institution (BSTI).

Produced in makeshift factories, such vermicelli product is dried in the sun in open space and gather dust.

Such substandard vermicelli is marketed under different popular brand names. Regular consumption of such vermicelli can lead to various health complications.

Sahadev Chandra Saha, Director (Enforcement) of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), told the Daily Sun that some dishonest traders are producing adulterated vermicelli without following the quality standard.

He said they have conducted drives against the substandard and adulterated vermicelli producing factories across the country.

On April 9, the BSTI authority conducted raids on several unauthorised vermicelli factories in Rangpur and fined Tk 100,000.

They also confiscated about a tonne of unhealthy vermicelli produced in an unhygienic environment.    On April, 18, a mobile court fined two factories Tk 20,000 for making vermicelli in unhygienic conditions in Noagaon.

On April, 21, a mobile court led by executive magistrate Abidur Rahman fined a fake Banaful Lachaa Semai factory Tk 40,000 at Soyani village of Rasulpur union at Gafargaon Upazila in Mymensingh.

On April 20, a monitoring team led by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) Deputy Director Jahangir Alam fined Preo Food Product Tk 10,000 for producing adulterated vermicelli.