Antibiotics, detergent and pesticides in milk!

The Dhaka University's pharmacy department has conducted two laboratory tests on different dates after collecting 10 samples of milk randomly from different parts of Dhaka City. These included packaged liquid milk, pasteurised milk and chocolate milk. The research found presence of toxic antibiotics, detergents and pesticides in most samples.

The findings have shocked the masses who rely on the so-called dairy companies for their supply of milk.

Presence of antibiotics and detergents in milk can cause cancer along with other chronic diseases.

The Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institutions (BSTI), sole standards and testing institute of the government, also conducted tests on milk samples. Interestingly, they did not find any presence of such substances.

Newspapers have reported that the BSTI parameters for testing samples, set in 2002, are only nine. But DU pharmacy department has 17 parameters for testing samples.

It is disappointing that a government organisation responsible for testing could not successfully test the samples. People are suspecting that possibly some unscrupulous senior BSTI officials did this in collusion with some of the dairy product companies.

The government should look into these matters and bring to book those companies whose names have surfaced in the report. If need be, their licences should be cancelled for the sake of public health.

Mohammad Zonaed Emran

A Banker

[email protected]