Mahabub Alam, Dhaka: A good number of the banned face-whitening creams have flooded the markets in the country despite the mobile court drives to check production and sales of the beauty products.
Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has banned 19 face-whitening creams this year as they contain harmful levels of mercury and hydroquinone.
“After using Chandni cream, my face has whitened somewhat. After some days, my face skin has begun spotting,” said Nasrin Akhter of Sherpur district.
“I take treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) for the infection in my face and eyes due to the use of Chandni, a product of Pakistan-based SJ Enterprise.”
Quoting BSMMU doctors, she said it would take a longtime to recover from the infection in her face and eyes.
Eighteen other creams are Goree, a product of Goree Cosmetics (PVT) Ltd, New face of QC International, Due of Creative Cosmetics, Noor Herbal Beauty Cream and Noor Gold Beauty Cream of Noor Gold Cosmetics, Golden Pearl of Golden Pearl Company, White Pearl Plus of White Pearl Cosmetics International, Faiza of Punia Brothers, Pax and Navia of Loya International, Fresh and White of Life Cosmetics, Face Lift of Face Lift Cosmetics, Face Fresh of Shahin Cosmetics, Dr Rashel Night Cream of Guangbaz Bayo, 4k plus ,which company name could not be known, Aneeza Gold of Aniza Cosmetics, Jiaoli, which company name could not be known, Dr Davey lotion of Aroma Care Cosmetics.
In a lab tests, the BSTI has found 102.92PPM mercury in Goree against the BDS standard level which is under 1.00PPM.
Some 209.91PPM mercury has been found in Chandni against 1:00PPM while 216.69PPM has been tested in New Face, 133.50PPM in Due,222.21PPM in Noor Herbal, 143.60 PPM in Noor Gold, 124.28PPM in Golden Pearl, 201.99PPM in While Pearl Plus, 183.39PPM in Faiza, 219.13PPM in Pax, 736.54PPM in Navia, 62.68PPM in Fresh and White, 190.50PPM in Face Lift, 201.40PPM in Face Fresh, 65.44PPM in Dr Rashel Night Cream, 40.60PPM in 4k Plus, 192.30 PPM in Aneeza Gold, 199.15PPM in Jiaoli against those standard level, under 1:00PPM.
Dr Davey lotion has 8.10 percent nonvolatile matter against less than 10 percent and 91.50 water content against under 90 percent.
Abdul Jabbar Mandal, assistant director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), told the Daily Sun that they carried out several drives in the capital and elsewhere in the country recently and found the cosmetics at different shops.
He says that the creams are being sold widely for having demands among customers.
The officer added that their drives were going on to remove the harmful creams and lotions from the markets.
When contacted, Jisan Ahmed Talukder, assistant director of the BSTI, told the Daily Sun that they were conducting mobile courts to stop sales of the beauty products.
“We have already fined many shop owners for selling the products,” he said.
Siddika Sultana, executive director of the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO), which had long been campaigning against the excessive use of mercury in cosmetics and other products, told this correspondent that they were continuously keeping contacts with dermatologists of different hospitals and clinics.
In the last few days, about seven women whose faces got seriously infected for using the creams came to a private clinic in the capital to take treatment.
Despite the ban, sale of such harmful skincare creams is going on unabated in the markets, Siddika said.
“Hectic drives and awareness campaign can stop the sales of the banned cosmetics,” the ESDO executive director suggests.
