Superstores go on strike today

Owners of nearly 100 superstores will keep their outlets closed today across the country protesting “harassment through implementation of discriminatory policy and misuse of law”.

“Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association has been compelled to decide on keeping Agora, Meena Bazar, Shwapno, Prince Bazar and all other superstore outlets shut across the country on May 15,” a press release of the association said        yesterday.

The decision came after a mobile court last week fined Agora, Meena Bazar and fast food chain Coopers for keeping expired and stale food items in their shops in the capital's Shantinagar.

The mobile court of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) under the food ministry sentenced Agora's Shantinagar branch manager Monirul Islam to two years' imprisonment for keeping stale fish, meat and expired food in the shop, said a food ministry press release last week.

The court also fined the manager of the Agora outlet Tk 2 lakh and the in-charge of Meena Bazar and manager of Coopers Tk 3 lakh each on the same charges.

Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association (BSOA) said superstore chains have been flourishing in Bangladesh and thousands of people, including farmers, are linked with them. But the sector has been “affected by a discriminatory policy”.

“Mobile courts of different authorities have been raiding superstores regularly in the name of safe food,” said the statement signed by BSOA General Secretary Md Zakir Hossain.

“Mobile courts, with the help of police, Rab and media outlets, have been conducting raids repeatedly. This is happening at a time when supermarkets are playing a visible role in ensuring safe food. And they are being fined based on the results of tests carried out unscientifically,” claimed the BSOA.

It appears that the supermarkets are being targeted for such raids, said the association adding that a wrong message is being sent out to the buyers through these raids as if the objective of these stores is to sell rotten or adulterated products.

The statement said supermarkets can easily be a partner in the safe food movement. But it is very unfortunate to make them opponents unnecessarily.

According to superstore owners, ensuring purity of food is not possible without taking effective steps to prevent adulteration in production and supply levels.

BSOA President Niaz Rahim said superstore owners have invested a huge amount of money in the country over the last one and a half decade to expand their business.

There are about 100 supermarket outlets across the country and most of them are in the capital. Shwapno, Agora and Meena Bazar are the main superstore operators, said the association.