Staff Correspondent
Dhaka, 26 August 2026: The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has directed manufacturers and distributors to withdraw 10 food products from the market after laboratory tests found them below the required Bangladesh Standards (BDS).
The products include several spice products manufactured by Bombay Sweets & Co. Ltd., along with ghee and butter oil sold under brands including Baghabari, Arun Baghabari, New Radhuni, City and Elders.
BSTI issued the withdrawal directive following its regular market surveillance programme, under which products are collected from markets and tested at its laboratories. The regulatory body has also issued show-cause notices to the concerned companies, asking why their BSTI licences should not be cancelled.
According to BSTI, laboratory tests found that Baghabari Ghee did not meet the required standard for milk fat. The test results indicated that palm olein and vanaspati were used in the product, despite it being marketed as ghee.
Several spice products produced by Bombay Sweets & Co. Ltd. were also found to have failed to meet the applicable Bangladesh Standards. The affected products include Curry Powder, Duck Meat Masala, Tehari Masala, Kala Bhuna Masala, Beef Masala and Fish Masala.
BSTI said these products exceeded the permitted limits for total ash and salt under the relevant standards.
The regulator also identified several other ghee and butter oil products that failed laboratory tests on different quality parameters. These included Baghabari Ghee of Baghabari Premium Ghee Company, Arun Baghabari Ghee of Kishoreganj Food Products, New Radhuni Ghee and City Ghee of Messrs Mamun Food Product, and Elders Butter Oil of Elders Food Products and Packaging Industries.
According to BSTI, the test results showed deviations in parameters including refractive index, iodine value, saponification value and Polenske value.
BSTI Director General and Secretary Kazi Imdadul Haque said maintaining product quality in accordance with national standards is both a legal and ethical responsibility of licensed manufacturers.
He said BSTI would continue its market surveillance activities and take necessary legal measures against companies that fail to maintain the required standards.
BSTI has also advised consumers to remain cautious when purchasing packaged food products. Consumers have been encouraged to check the BSTI certification mark, licence number, manufacturing date, expiry date, ingredients and other relevant product information before making a purchase.
Consumers can report complaints regarding substandard or adulterated products, fraudulent practices or misuse of the BSTI certification mark through the BSTI hotline 16119 or by email at dg@bsti.gov.bd.
