Sherpur (Bogura) Correspondent

The traditional yogurt produced in Sherpur of Bogura has been recognized as a GI (Geographical Indication) product but various manipulations are going on with the yogurt due to the conspiracy of some unscrupulous traders. Elite persons are worried about preserving its heritage.

Yoghurt of Sherpur in Bogura has been keeping the tradition for more than two hundred years. Bogura yogurt recently got GI (Geographical Indication) product recognition. But by capitalizing on this curd, unscrupulous businessmen indulged in various manipulations for commercial gain.

It is difficult to find people who have not heard the name of the Yogurt of Bogura. This curd has long been in the list of traditional dishes of the country. This local food is very popular in terms of popularity. Once a few members of the Ghosh family of Ghoshpara area of Sherpur upazila were engaged in the profession of preparing this curd. Currently, thousands of families or organizations are involved in this profession. Delicious curd of Bogura is sold in hotels, restaurants, railway stations and bus stands all over the country including Dhaka. This traditional product does not need much hype to attract buyers. It is rich in history. Apart from Bogura, this curd can be found in other regions of the country. This century-old food product has now become an industry.

After a long search, it can be seen that some dishonest traders are busy making a mountain of money overnight by capitalizing on this traditional product. In twelve Upazilas of Bogura, many companies are now preparing curd. Sherpur Upazila is one of them.

In this Upazila, the selling points and showrooms of yogurt sweets are more than hundred. And daily supply and local sales in different parts of the country is about 5 lakh taka. Due to the demand of yogurt, showrooms or sales centers have now been established in many cities of the country including the capital city of Dhaka. Capitalizing on this popularity of yogurt, some unscrupulous businessmen and owners of black money have entered the yogurt business as a safe sector.

The yogurt they are selling for one kg is 500 grams to 600 grams. In some cases even less. Exploiting the demand of curd, some unscrupulous manufacturers continue to adulterate it by mixing formalin with giving less weight. Low-quality milk powder is now used in sacks for the production of curds and confectionery. The most serious is the excessive use of preservatives to keep the curd for 5-7 days. Moreover, instead of sugar, curd is being made by mixing chycarin and dyes. This fact can be found in some yogurt factories in remote areas including Mirzapur area of the Upazila.

In this context, the Assistant Director (CM) of Bogura BSTI Engineer Md Mesbaul Hasan said, we are not aware of such a matter, if we cooperate with the name, we will definitely take the arrangements.