HC concern over slow pace of banning toxic food items
THE High Court on Thursday rebuked Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) for its failure of removing and destroying 52 substandard food products from the market. The HC earlier ordered the BFSA removing the substandard goods of 43 companies from the market but the BFSA did nothing except publishing only a list of substandard items in newspaper for people’s awareness. Meanwhile, the HC Bench also asked the Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) to publish results of 93 samples of food products and submit the report to the Court on June 16. The BSTI collected 406 samples of 27 types of food products for laboratory tests and reports on 313 samples were already prepared of which 52 were found substandard.
During the hearing, the court said that the companies would be allowed to sell new products if BSTI found them standard in the retesting. The BFSA authority informed the court that it requested Deputy Commissioners to take steps to remove the substandard products and stop their production in the districts concerned. The court appreciated the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection Director General for seizing some substandard products conducting drives across the country.
The HC Bench observed that the BSTI and other regulatory authorities should carry out drives against food adulteration throughout the year, not only in the month of Ramadan. As the BSTI has not enough authority to run mobile courts against food adulteration, social awareness against food adulteration and adulterated food consumption should be heightened. The unscrupulous businessmen have to be refrained of selling adulterated foods with strong market monitoring against toxic items.
We welcome the HC concern over food adulteration and unhealthy food items that flooded the market and pose serious public health hazard. The companies, the BFSA and the BSTI should act harmoniously to ensure safe food for the countrymen. We believe the regulatory bodies should make unified effort to stop food adulteration for public safety and future healthy generation.
During the hearing, the court said that the companies would be allowed to sell new products if BSTI found them standard in the retesting. The BFSA authority informed the court that it requested Deputy Commissioners to take steps to remove the substandard products and stop their production in the districts concerned. The court appreciated the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection Director General for seizing some substandard products conducting drives across the country.
The HC Bench observed that the BSTI and other regulatory authorities should carry out drives against food adulteration throughout the year, not only in the month of Ramadan. As the BSTI has not enough authority to run mobile courts against food adulteration, social awareness against food adulteration and adulterated food consumption should be heightened. The unscrupulous businessmen have to be refrained of selling adulterated foods with strong market monitoring against toxic items.
We welcome the HC concern over food adulteration and unhealthy food items that flooded the market and pose serious public health hazard. The companies, the BFSA and the BSTI should act harmoniously to ensure safe food for the countrymen. We believe the regulatory bodies should make unified effort to stop food adulteration for public safety and future healthy generation.
