Staff Reporter : Ensuring the availability of vitamin-fortified, safe edible oil is now a pressing need to nurture a healthy and productive generation. Experts highlighted that marketing of loose edible oil in drums, absence of opaque packaging, and the lack of vitamin D fortification are major obstacles in this regard. These issues were discussed by speakers at the journalists’ workshop titled “Vitamin-Fortified Safe Edible Oil for All: Progress, Challenges, and Way Forward”, held today (11 November 2025) at the BMA Bhaban in Dhaka.
The workshop was organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, with participation from 23 journalists from print, television, and online media.
The workshop underlined that sale of edible oil in open drums violates government regulations and poses risks to public health. According to the National Micronutrient Survey (2011–12), one in five children in Bangladesh suffers from vitamin A deficiency, while two in five lack sufficient vitamin D. Although Vitamin ‘A’ Enrichment in Edible Oils Act, 2013 exists, most oils in the market does not contain any vitamins or contain less than the mandated amount.
A study by ICDDR, B found that 65% of edible oil in the market is sold in drums, of which 59% does not contain any vitamin A, and only 7% meet the legal standard for vitamin content.
Speakers remarked that these non-food grade, hazardous drums are often used previously to store chemicals, engine oil, or industrial products. These drums also do not provide information about the oil’s source or quality, allowing adulterated or substandard oils to enter the market easily.
They further mentioned that, according to the Ministry of Industries’ directives, open sale of soybean oil was to be banned from July 2022 and palm oil from December 2022; however, drum-based sales continue. Therefore, they called for strengthened coordinated monitoring by the Ministry of Industries, BSTI, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, and the Food Safety Authority to ensure safe, vitamin-fortified edible oil.
The speakers also pointed out that vitamin A deficiency rises the risk of childhood blindness and maternal mortality, while vitamin D deficiency is associated with greater risk of rickets, loss of bone density, cardiovascular disease, and various non-communicable diseases. Fortifying edible oil with both vitamins A and D is a feasible, affordable, and effective public health measure, enabling the general population to obtain essential nutrients through everyday meals. The workshop additionally discussed the importance of storing oil in light-resistant, opaque bottles, as exposure to sunlight or light rapidly damages vitamin A, degrading oil quality.
The speakers concluded that high-quality edible oil supplies essential nutrition and safeguards health. Therefore, ensuring safe packaging of edible oil is imperative.
Fakir Muhammad Munawar Hossain, Former Director (Deputy Secretary), Operations and Laboratories Department, Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection (DNCRP); Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar, Consultant, National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute; Dr. Ashek Mahfuz, Portfolio Lead for Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) and Value Chain, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN); Doulot Akter Mala,
President, Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) and Special Correspondent, The Financial Express; and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA were present as discussants. The key presentations were delivered by Dr. Aliva Haque, Program Officer and Md. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs,