Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has ordered the withdrawal of 10 products, including Bombay Sweets spices and Baghbari ghee, after laboratory tests found they failed to meet Bangladesh standards. The announcement was made in a notice signed by BSTI Secretary Moinuddin Mia on Wednesday. BSTI also issued show-cause notices asking why the licences granted for the products should not be cancelled and advised consumers not to buy them.

The failed products include five Bombay Sweets & Co. Limited spice items: curry powder for duck meat, tehari spice, kala bhuna spice, beef spice and fish spice. BSTI said the products contained excessive total ash and salt under Bangladesh standards. It said Baghbari branded ghee contained no milk fat and was being marketed as ghee despite being made with palm olein and vanaspati.

Other products found substandard were Arunn Baghbari, New Radhuni and City branded ghee, and Elders butter oil. BSTI said test results for ghee and butter oil showed refractive index, iodine value, saponification value and Polenske value outside prescribed limits. Director General Kazi Imdadul Haque said licensed firms have legal and ethical duties to maintain quality, while BSTI will continue surveillance against counterfeit and adulterated products.