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DHAKA, Dec 10, 2025 (BSS) - The Custom House, Chattogram has seized another consignment of prohibited artificial sweetener Sodium Cyclamate weighing 4,200 kilograms from the Chattogram Port.

According to a press release issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) today, the operation was carried out by the intelligence team of Chattogram Custom House on the basis of secret information, with support from the 
Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) in Dhaka. 

The consignment was imported by Ejaz Trading of Keraniganj, Dhaka, which declared the shipment as Polyaluminium Chloride. The container-carrying a total of 22,088 kilograms of goods from China-arrived at the port on October 21, 2025.

Following intelligence inputs, Customs authorities suspended the release of the goods and conducted a physical examination on November 6. During inspection, officers detected two different types of products in the shipment. Samples were collected and sent to the Customs laboratory for chemical analysis.

The lab test report confirmed that while 17,800 kilograms of the consignment contained Polyaluminium Chloride as declared, the remaining 4,200 kilograms consisted of Sodium Cyclamate, a sweetener banned in Bangladesh due to serious health risks.

Sodium Cyclamate is 30 to 50 times sweeter than regular sugar and is often misused by dishonest traders in confectionery, processed foods, beverages, chocolates, and even baby food. Medical studies have linked the substance to cancer and severe kidney and liver complications. As a result, the government has prohibited its import under the Import Policy Order 2021-2024.

The Custom House, Chattogram, seized the consignment under provisions of the Customs Act, 2023, and legal proceedings are underway.

The NBR statement added that this is not an isolated incident. On September 16 and October 28 this year, Customs authorities seized two separate consignments involving nearly 100 tons of Sodium Cyclamate at the Chattogram Port. Legal action in those cases has already been initiated.