Counterfeiters fashion fake cosmetics as law enforcement agencies sit idle

Adulterated cosmetics and toiletries under the false names of leading local and foreign brands are randomly sold in markets across the country, putting public health at risk, industry people and pour enforcement officials say said.
Many of the users of these counterfeit beauty and sanitary items contract skin diseases-skin cancer being the most fatal one.        
The substandard cosmetics sell from footpath to modern shopping malls as a number of syndicates are involved in making and selling these products, the sources said.
According to a study done by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), 45 per cent of cosmetics have no certification by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI).
Bangladesh Cosmetics and Toiletries Manufacturers Association statistics show annual turnover of the sector is around Tk 150 billion. Local companies share 60 per cent of the market cake.
Among the major local companies are Square Toiletries Ltd, Kohinoor Chemicals Ltd, Keya Cosmetics Ltd, Mousumi Industries Ltd and Aromatic Cosmetics Ltd.
Beauty products of nearly all renowned international cosmetics brands are imported into Bangladesh-and those are largely high-priced.  
The world majors in this sector include L'Oreal, Revlon, Estee Lauder, Max Factor, Avon, Maybelline, MAC Cosmetics, Garnier, Elizabeth Arden, Lalique, bareMinerals, BeBeautiful, Bioré, Biotherm, Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Clinique, CoverGirl, Crabtree and Evelyn, Dior, Essie, Frederic Fekkai, Fusion Beauty, Giorgio Armani, Guerlain, Nivea, Lakme, and Emami.
Most of foreign cosmetic products are imported from the USA, Germany, France, the Middle East, China, Thailand, India and so.
After visiting several markets in the city from December 25 to 28, the FE correspondent found many of the leading local-and global-brand cosmetics and toiletries adulterated.
The shoddy stuffs include body spray, soap, lotion, makeup boxes, shampoo, snow, cream, powder, face-wash, leap liner, mascara, lipstick, nail polish, nail- polish remover, liquid makeup, eye-shadow, and pain tick.
These are sold publicly as the customers cannot immediately differentiate between fake and real stuffs and the purchase price is less than that of the real brand products.
Sources in the law-enforcement department said a number of fake cosmetics factories have been set up on both sides of Buriganga River. The down-market manufacturers include Companyganj, Jinjira, Kalindi of Keraniganj area, Chawkbazar, Begumbazar, Rahmatganj, Islambagh, Borokatra, Chotokatra and Kamrangirchar.
The agencies also said a number of supermarkets in Chawkbazar Chawk supermarket, Chawkm-ogalatuli, Mansur Plaza, Mumtaz Market, Khan Market, Friendship Market, Johan Market, Shamim Market, Eastern Plaza, Plaza Muscat in Uttara have are selling fake cosmetics.
The syndicates are producing fake products of Square Toiletries, Kohinoor Chemical and Lalbagh Chemicals, Unilever, Hugo, Ferrari, Poison, Royal, Havoc and Cobra brands by using labels.
"Branded cosmetics and toiletries are being adulterated and sold across the country," Jahangir Alam, general secretary of Bangladesh Cosmetics and Toiletries Importers Association, told the FE.
He said the law-enforcement department knows but doesn't have any action against the fakers.
Every year, he added, the leading local manufactures and importers have been counting huge amounts of fake cosmetics frequently selling at shops to footpaths.
Munir Ahmad Khan, co-chairman of Bangladesh Cosmetics and Toiletries Manufacturers Association, said locally two types of fake cosmetics go for sale.
He said some of the fake cosmetics are produced locally while others are coming from different other counties.
A trader at Pallabi supermarket said the fake cosmetics is being made in Dhaka's Lalbagh and Hazaribagh areas, Kamrangir Char and Keraniganj.
He said the fake cosmetics look similar to brand products and sell at low prices to the detriment of customers.
AHM Anwar Pasha, Executive Magistrate with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), said a number of dishonest businesses have been manufacturing and selling fake version of local and foreign cosmetics.
"People are being cheated, this way," said the magistrate, who dispenses spot justice in mobile court on different drives conducted by the elite force.
He said in recent times a mobile court sentenced seven persons to jail terms ranging from two years to six months at Chawkbazar in the capital for such offences.
Skin specialist Dr Saiful Islam said, "We have tasted counterfeit cosmetics several times, which tested positive for a range of toxins."
Things such as arsenic, lead etc are mixed with counterfeit cosmetics which can seriously damage human skin. Even it can harm inner-side, too.
He said the skin on your face absorbs things differently than anywhere else on your body.
"Especially the skin around your eyes is the thinnest skin on our body," he said.
"It could cause acne on your face, dermatitis or eczema or scaling. Theoretically, you can absorb through your skin too. There could be bacteria because there is no quality control," said the physician.
Counterfeit cosmetics can even cause skin cancer, he said.
He said the number of skin patients is increasing nowadays due only to using counterfeit products.
He also suggested that the consumers, specially the women, should use natural products instead of chemical to avoid the use of counterfeit products.
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