EU sees lack of coordination among government entities

FE Team | Published: October 25, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
A two-member team of the European Union (EU) now on a visit to the country has witnessed lack of coordination between the central and regional authorities engaged for ensuring quality standards of frozen food products.
The team members, John MC Evoy and Raj Patel, have found that lack of coordination exists among the government's entities based in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna.
The EU team also identified that there was shortage of trained manpower and appropriate equipment in the Fish Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) laboratories to meet the food safety directives of the EU, a meeting source said.
"The EU team has expressed their satisfaction over the significant improvements in the testing laboratories and quality issues achieved since their last visit in 2005," he said.
The team, in a wrap-up meeting with the government high-ups Wednesday, disclosed their findings to the authorities before departing for Brussels.
The EU team from the food and veterinary office (FVO) Brussels visited Dhaka, Khulna and Chittagong to monitor the food safety standards of the country's frozen food and shrimp processing laboratories.
The team, which arrived in the country on October 16, also found inconsistencies between aquaculture laboratories and drug and veterinary administration.
The EU team will submit a report to their headquarters in Brussels within 20 days of their visit about the prevailing food safety standard in the frozen food processing industries and laboratories of Bangladesh.
Sources said another six-member inspection team of EU is expected to visit the country shortly.