In the Karwan Bazar wholesale market in the capital, a number of drums can be seen, stacked in corners, standing covered with grime and dirt.

The blue colour they come in is unmissable – their use in transporting chemicals, lubricants and other goods made from non-food material, is well known. 

But here in the largest wholesale market, their purpose is completely different: storing loose edible oil of all kinds. 

Following a decline in prices in the international market, the government on Wednesday reduced the retail price of loose palm oil by Tk19 per litre, bringing it down from Tk169 to Tk150.

For many, this was a respite: palm oil constitutes around 60% of the total edible oil consumed in the domestic market.

While the price may be appealing, the loose oil comes at a much steeper cost: heart disease, hypertension, and other health problems. 

Chairman of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Zakaria has said every year 320,000 people die due to diseases caused by unsafe edible oil.

Md Mohiuddin, a wholesaler at Karwan Bazar, told Dhaka Stream that Bangladesh's low-income population largely relies on loose edible oil. 

"Most street-side hotel owners and restaurants purchase palm oil from us," he said.

Unknown to consumers, toxic substances such as mercury and harmful trans fats are being found in the unpackaged edible oil, while enforcement gaps and public unawareness continue to undermine government safety regulations, health and legal experts warn.

The data is convincing as well.

At an event earlier this year, Chairman of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Zakaria said every year 320,000 people die due to diseases caused by unsafe edible oil.

A silent risk

Professor of the Department of Public Health and Informatics at the Jahangirnagar University Dr Mahfuza Mubarak told Stream that harmful substances in loose oil pose a long-term risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. 

"The main focus should be whether oils are preserved properly, in clean and hygienic conditions. Secondly, it is important to use food-grade plastic containers. In many cases in Bangladesh, food-grade materials are not used which increases the risk of microplastic contamination," Dr Mahfuza said.

But storage isn't the only issue either.

Alarmingly, a research team of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University has found mercury, a toxic substance, in crude edible oil. 

Speaking at a seminar in February, Dr Najma Shaheen, former director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University, said mercury in crude edible oil could not be removed even if there was a refining process.

What the loose oil has isn't also the only problem. What it doesn't contain matters just as much. 

Can't take your vitamins

Professor of Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Dhaka Dr Nizamul Hoque Buiyan told Stream that many oils are fortified with Vitamin A, but when sold unpackaged, this may not be the case.

"Unpackaged oils are often mixed with various ingredients by dishonest sellers, reducing their nutritional quality and introducing health risks," he said.  

"Our students conducted research showing that the nutritional benefits expected in fortified oils are often much lower or even completely absent in unpackaged oils," Dr Nizamul said.

Using unpackaged oil does not necessarily mean consumers will miss out on Vitamin A, but the real concern is safety. When someone uses unpackaged oil, there's no way to know whether unapproved ingredients or heavy metals have been added.

- BSTI examiner Md Liton Miah

He said effective market monitoring could help control the situation. 

"Packaged oils clearly display seals and manufacturing details that unpackaged oil lacks. The government has taken several initiatives, as a result the availability of unpackaged oils has decreased significantly, but the risk still remains," he said. 

But how harmful is a lack of Vitamin A? 

Speaking to Stream, Head of the Cardiology Department at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital Dr Kazi Nazrul Islam said, "Vitamin A deficiency can lead to different heart-related health issues. Moreover, consuming unfortified oil increases the risk of heart diseases." 

A 2017 research showed that 59% of edible oil sold in drums is not fortified with Vitamin A, while 34% of samples contain incorrect levels of the vitamin.

According to the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), based on data collected between 2018 and June 2021, out of 913 samples tested nationwide (520 bottled, 393 drum-packaged), only 52.67% of drum-packaged oil was fortified with Vitamin A compared to 87% of bottled oil.

Are there rules in place?

Examiner (Agri & Food) of Standards Wing Office at Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) Md Liton Miah said the quality of any oil is determined by specific parameters which ensure it is both safe and suitable for consumers.

"From Bangladesh's perspective, Vitamin A deficiency has been recognised. In this regard, we have addressed the issue," he said.  

"Using unpackaged oil does not necessarily mean consumers will miss out on Vitamin A, but the real concern is safety. When someone uses unpackaged oil, there's no way to know whether unapproved ingredients or heavy metals have been added," Liton Miah said.  

According to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), edible oil marketing without Vitamin A fortification is a punishable offense under Bangladeshi law.

Bangladesh enacted the Vitamin A Enrichment in Edible Oils Act in 2013 but the enforcement remains inconsistent.

Liton Miah, meanwhile, thinks there's more to the issue.

"Our main headache is not the nutritional aspect, but the safety risks. That is why BSTI supports phasing out unpackaged oils completely," he said.

Where are the gaps?

Back in Karwan Bazar, Wholesaler Mohammad Mohiuddin stares blankly when asked about the Vitamin A law.

"I have never heard of this. No one has ever told us to follow this law. If no one informs us, how will we know?" he asked.

Legal expert Advocate Sayed Ahmed told Stream that while Bangladesh has dedicated laws in order to deal with these problems, the implementation remains weak. 

"Consumers are largely unaware of these laws. Relevant institutions need to take responsibility for publicly promoting the Acts. Special awareness campaigns need to be urgently made."

According to the Vitamin A Enrichment in Edible Oil Act, 2013, all fortified edible oil containers whether bottles, packets, tins, or other packaging must carry a proper label. 

According to the Act, retailers and wholesalers are prohibited from selling, storing, or displaying edible oil without fortification and labeling.