Carew's sanitiser output increases
TALHA BIN HABIB | Tuesday, 31 March 2020
The state-run Carew & Company (Bangladesh) Ltd has increased production of hand sanitiser following its growing demand in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The lone state distiller started producing the disinfectant since March 23 recognising its need to save people from coronavirus infections.
The retail price of each bottle (100 mililitre) of hand sanitiser is fixed at Tk 60.
"We're increasing our production of hand sanitiser following its growing demand among the people," Carew & Company managing director Md Jahid Ali Ansary told the FE on Monday.
He said 3,000 bottles of hand sanitiser were produced on the first of manufacturing the essential item, 7,500 bottles on March 24.
Some 8,500 bottles were made on March 25, 9,000 on March 26, 9,500 on March 27, 9,500 on March 28, 10,000 on March 29 and 10,000 on March 30.
It is being produced with the ingredients of 70 per cent of ethanol, 2.0-per cent glycerin, 27-per cent distilled water, and food-grade colour and flavour.
"We're manually producing sanitiser, but expecting an automatic ceiling machine by today (Monday). It will help us gear up the volume of output," Mr Ansary said.
Carew has already supplied hand sanitiser in a large volume to different government offices, he stated.
Mr Ansary, however, said Carew's hand sanitiser will be available for commoners soon as they have started gearing up production.
Last week, the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFC), which supervises Carew's activities, said the people could buy sanitiser from 16 designated sales centres.
The sanitiser will also be available on the premises of industries ministry and BSFC.
But most of the commoners in the city are yet to know about the designated sales spots.
"I went to the BSFC to purchase hand sanitiser but failed as there was no such arrangement," private service holder Abdus Sattar told the FE the same day.
When asked, BSFIC chairman Sanath Kumar Saha said restrictions on movement of traffic and people have forced them to curtail sanitiser supplies to Dhaka and other parts of the country.
"We will market hand sanitiser in the capital on a bigger scale after April 04," he told the FF.
Mr Saha said people could purchase hand sanitiser from Carew's sales centre located in front of industries ministry at Motijheel in the capital.
Industries secretary Md Abdul Halim said Carew & Company has already supplied hand sanitiser to different government offices.
"It (hand sanitiser) will be available for people soon," he mentioned.