Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, March 15, 2026 (BSS) - A mobile court has fined an e-commerce-based food company, Fresh Food, for producing food in an unhygienic environment and misleading consumers by using artificial flavor instead of real ghee.

The drive was conducted on Sunday afternoon at the company's factory in Maipara Bazar under Puthia upazila. The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Shibu Das.

According to officials, the company had been promoting its products through a Facebook page, claiming them to be "100 percent pure and authentic" with attractive advertisements. Acting on several complaints from consumers, authorities carried out a surprise raid at the facility.

During the operation, the mobile court found that substandard food products were being manufactured and marketed without approval or packaging certification from the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). Officials also discovered that food items were being stored in extremely unhygienic conditions.

The most serious irregularity was found in the production of semai (vermicelli). Instead of using real ghee, the company sprayed artificial ghee fragrance on ordinary semai and sold it at a higher price by claiming it was "100 percent ghee-fried lachcha semai."

After confirming the allegations of fraud and deception, the mobile court fined the company Tk 20,000 under the Consumer Rights Protection Act.

Following the raid, Magistrate Shibu Das said the company had been misleading consumers through flashy online advertisements. He warned that using chemical fragrance instead of real ghee could pose health risks to the public.

He also instructed the company to obtain the necessary licenses and maintain proper hygienic conditions in food production. The magistrate added that such drives would continue in the future in the interest of protecting consumers.

Law enforcement officials were present during the operation, and some seized substandard food products were destroyed on the spot.