Police have seized 92,616 liters of edible oil in a raid on a warehouse and a truck belonging to four companies at Baneshwar Bazar in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi. Five people were arrested at that time.

Puthia police conducted the operation from noon to 8 pm on Tuesday (May 10). The seized edible oils include 24,064 liters of soybean and 8,932 liters of palm oil.

This information was confirmed by Rajshahi District Police Spokesperson Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Md Iftekhayer Alam on Wednesday morning.

Police said five people, including a truck driver, were arrested in connection with the oil seizure. The truck was also seized. At the same time four warehouses have been sealed. The process of filing a case is underway, police said.

The detainees were identified as Fazlur Rahman, a truck driver, Bikash Saha, owner of Sarkar & Sons in Baneshwar market, Entaz Ali, owner of Entaj Store, Shailen Paul, owner of Messrs Paul & Brothers and Rajib Saha, owner of Rima Store.

According to sources, 48 ​​barrels of soybean and 28 barrels of palm oil from Sarkar & Sons in Baneshwar Bazar, 22 barrels of soybean oil and 120 barrels of palm oil from Entaj Store, 3 barrels of soybean and 100 barrels of palm oil from Messrs Paul & Brothers and 100 barrels of palm oil from Rima store.

47 barrels of soybean and 26 barrels of palm oil were seized. Besides, 60 barrels of palm oil were seized in a truck to take to the old market in Chapainawabganj. Each barrel contains 204 liters of edible oil. A total of 121 barrels of soybean oil and 333 barrels of palm oil were seized.

The operation was led by Rajshahi District Superintendent of Police ABM Masud Hossain (PPM). Additional Superintendent of Police Ifte Khair Alam was present. Rajshahi district police, district detective police and riot police took part in the joint operation.

ABM Masud Hossain (SP) told reporters at the scene that they had information that edible oil was being stored in these warehouses since the beginning of Ramadan. Based on that information, 92,616 liters of edible oil has been seized.

The seized oils will be sold at a fair price through TCB with the permission of the court. If the organizations have any statement about this, they can take it to court. And if an artificial crisis is created in the market by stockpiling, legal action will be taken against it.