Govt Fixes Tk30 for Surgical Masks

The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) has fixed the maximum retail price (MRP) of surgical masks at Tk30 per piece amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“Those, who sell the product over the fixed price, will face legal actions,” DGDA Director-General Mahbubur Rahman told today.

The rate of masks went up several folds after three people in the country were diagnosed with Covid-19 on March 8.

Rahman said: “The face mask manufacturers are asked not to supply over 500 masks under an invoice.”

“The related companies are asked to produce and supply 50ml hand-sanitizer packs,” he added.

Mobile courts of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raided pharmacies on Tuesday for overcharging customers for surgical masks and hand sanitizers in the midst of fears over COVID-19.

Mobile courts of Dhaka North and South city corporations also conducted drives in different parts of Dhaka yesterday.

The court of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) conducted drives in Gulshan, Banani and Mohakhali areas, and three pharmacies were fined a total of Tk25,000 for the same offense. 

One person has been jailed for a month and eight pharmacies were fined over Tk1 lakh by a mobile court in Narayanganj. 

A mobile court fined  Lazz Pharma in Savar, Tk1 lakh for selling masks at a high price.