HC questions sales of Pran fruit drinks

The High Court yesterday asked the government to explain in two weeks why it should not be directed to stop production, marketing and sales of fruit-flavoured drinks produced by Pran Group.
The HC came up with the rule following a writ petition that claimed there is no element of pure fruits in the drinks of strawberry, mango, pineapple, apple, orange and litchi produced by Pran, a leading processed-food maker.
Advocate Manzill Murshid, president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, filed the petition yesterday following a report published in the daily Amader Shomoy on October 23.
The report said Pran Group's fruit-flavoured drinks were still in the market after its licence was cancelled for non-compliance with standards set by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI).
The petitioner has stated that fruit drinks produced by the company are risky and harmful for health although people, particularly children, consume the drinks considering those good for health.
There is no vitamin other than preservatives in such fruit drinks, Manzill said, adding that if the production and sales of the products are not stopped, it would increase health risk and will harm the future generation.
The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the government authorities to stop production, marketing and sales of the products.
The HC in the rule also asked the government to explain why its inaction to stop production, marketing and sales of the products should not be declared illegal.
Justice Naima Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar issued the rule after a hearing.
The court asked the secretaries to the ministries of health and food, the inspector general of police, directors general of Rapid Action Battalion and the BSTI and deputy commissioner of Dhaka to reply to the rule by November 18.
Deputy Attorney General Mokhlesur Rahman and Assistant Attorney General Nusrat Jahan represented the government. In an emailed statement to The Daily Star, Pran said the BSTI cancelled its licence for drinks, not for juice products.
"But as the majority of Bangladesh's people cannot differentiate between drinks and juices, many think that licence to make juice has been cancelled," it said.
"There is no relation of licence cancellation with our Pran brand juices (Pran Frooto Mango Juice, Pran Mango Juice pack and Pran Mango Juice bottle). We have valid licences of the BSTI for these types of juice," the company said. "Getting the BSTI licences is voluntary, not mandatory.”
Pran also said it has withdrawn its fruit drinks containing BSTI logo after the standards and testing body published advertisements cancelling the licences of 31 companies along with Pran last month.
"And we have started marketing of Pran drinks (orange and litchi) with new label without BSTI logo," Pran said.