DHAKA: The government now mulls curtailing the jurisdiction of mobile court that catches delinquents off-guard, competent sources said, as a knock to a big business created ripples.

They said the plan is on the cards following a row between Commerce and Industries Ministers over the anti-adulteration cleansing drive to prevent adulteration and price fixing of essentials during Ramadan.

A day after the drive kicked off, it was whistled stopped following dispute between the two ministers as Commerce Minister Faruk Khan didn’t like the move by Industries Minister Dilip Barua.

During Tuesday’s operation in presence of the Industries Minister, a mobile court seized 43,919 litres of edible oil of Rupchanda brand from Tejgaon depot of Bangladesh Edible Oil Ltd.

The group, without prior declaration, increased the price of per-litre Rupchanda Brand soybean oil by Tk 4 in a week in violation of the BSTI Act.

On the first day of the drive, Barua told journalists that four mobile courts would be active in the field against adulteration and would monitor prices of essentials.

However, the court’s operation stopped the following day as the Commerce Minister had opposed the measure.

Now the government is learnt to be contemplating a fresh move to redeploy the court but with limited capacity.   

A magistrate of Dhaka district told banglanews24.com.bd that the court will get into the field soon but with limited authority to conduct the drive against hotels and restaurants.

An official of the Dhaka District administration said dishonest businessmen would get an upper hand while the commoners will suffer for such a decision—as the market is awash with adulterated products or products processed with toxic preservatives besides jacking up prices.

BSTI Director-General AK Fazlul Ahad told banglanews24.com.bd that they would ask for magistrate if the government desires for drive.

He, however, did not make any comment over the capacity of the court, if curtailed.

BDST 1918 HRS AUGUST 14, 2010