DHAKA: GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh has been selling their product, Junior Horlicks, countrywide violating the legal process by changing the tags.

They are also providing confusing information printed in the jar as the blue jar of Junior Horlicks was for 2-5 years kids. Now from 1st May they labeled the same jar for above 5-year old kids.

In an investigation of banglanews team find that after implementing ‘Breast-Milk Substitutes food, supplementary food for baby on commercial basis and its tools for use (Regulation of Marketing) Act, 2013’, the company made the change as their has some restriction to sell baby food for 2-5 years old.

To change the rapping paper which covered the jar the company have to pay some fees to Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI). GlaxoSmithKline did this misdeed to avoid the fees.

There were same ingredients in the jar which was for 2-5 years babies and the same jar for above 5-year old kids.

Speaking about the vitamins of Horlicks professor D. Golam Maowla of Dhaka University Institute of Nutrition and food Science said the natural vitamin is spoiled when it dried. So the ‘digestion improvement’ is just an advertisement.

Mohammadpur resident Tania Ahmed said she is confused about to give horlicks to her 4-year-old boy.

When asked about the matter over the company’s hotline number (09678333475) that was recorded by the banglanews they said ‘It is the older horlicks. Without any doubt you can give this to your child.’

Communication manager Rumana Ahmed of GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh refused to say anything about the matter. She suggested e-mailing them. But there was no reply of the e-mail.

Another sources said some members of the BSTI were accomplices in the matter.

BDST: 1330 HRS, JUNE 8, 2014