Anti-adulteration drive will gain momentum in Ramadan: Barua

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FE Report
Industries Minister Dilip Barua said Thursday the government would strengthen its anti-adulteration drive across the country to ensure toxic-free food items for the consumers during the Ramadan.
"Legal steps against the adulterators will be taken and our efforts will continue during the holy month," he told the journalists during a press briefing in his ministry in the capital.
His comments came in the wake of the growing concern that the market would be flooded with adulterated foods and cheating in measurement would increase during the Ramadan, which would start in a day or two.
On August 13, the Ministry of Industries started anti-adulteration drive across the country to take actions against the persons responsible for making foods toxic and cheating the consumers in measurement.
Mr Barua said: "We have started the anti-adulteration drive to ensure the supply of quality food items during Ramadan."
But, he said, the anti-adulteration drive and imprisonment and fine are not enough to shoo the businessmen's tendency towards adulterating food items.
"The morality of the dishonest businessmen has to be heightened through awareness programmes. Then it will be possible to prevent them from mixing toxic chemicals with food items," the minister said.
He urged the manufacturers and businessmen not to be involved in any unethical business practices such as using poisonous chemicals with the food items or cheating in weghing.
"They should provide the consumers with quality food items, which are pure, accurate in measurement and toxic-free," he said.
"If necessary, existing laws will be amended," Barua added.
AK Fazlul Ahad, director general of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), told reporters the state-owned agency has been working across the country through surveillance teams and mobile courts to nab food adulterators.
He said 52 surveillance teams filed 134 cases from July 13 to August 19. "Of them, 15 cases have been settled and Tk 1.3 million has been collected as fine."
The BSTI DG regretted that the surveillance team found the same unhygienic environment in every establishment when the team visited it for the second time.
Currently, 25 mobile courts have been working in the country. They have filed 55 cases against such establishments for poisoning food items with different police stations and realised Tk 1.4 million, he said.
"Several magistrates will join us within a couple of days, and this will help us fight the adulterators. They will work according to the supervision of the minister," he added.
"We are very serious about the issue. We will be tough on the people who will be involved in malpractice during the Ramadan," Mr Ahad said further.
Industries Secretary Dewan Zakir Hussain was present during the briefing.