Rafsan fined Tk 16 lakh, BLU ordered to be removed from the market within 7 days

Iftekhar Rafsan, also known as 'Rafsan the Chhota Bhai,' a popular content creator and food vlogger, has been fined Tk 16 lakh by the Pure Food Court for distributing unauthorized drinks named 'Blue.' The court, presided over by Judge Alaul Akbar, issued the order on Wednesday (August 28), also mandating the withdrawal of Blue drinks from the market within seven days. Rafsan attended the court for about an hour and a half during the proceedings. According to Food Safety Authority's inspector Kamrul Hasan, Blue drinks lack necessary approvals, and even the drug administration is uncertain whether these are classified as drugs or beverages. This led to the issuance of an arrest warrant against Rafsan on June 4. Previously, on April 24, a raid at the Blue Drinks factory in Comilla city revealed the production of electrolyte drinks without a packaging registration certificate, and the beverages were bottled without proper measuring equipment, resulting in a Tk 30,000 fine under the 'Weight and Measurement Standards Act-2018.'