Civil society members have urged the government to refrain from giving commercial approval to all types of genetically modified crops and foodstuff, including golden rice and BT brinjal.
They made the call on Monday by sending a letter to the secretaries of Agriculture and Environment and Forest and Climate Change and Directors General of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
Golden rice is a variety of rice genetically engineered to produce beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, in the grain, making it a potentially powerful tool to combat vitamin A deficiency, a major public health problem in many parts of the world.
BT Eggplant, on the other hand, is an example of GM crops with enhanced traits.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute have held meeting with the government high-ups to push for commercial release of golden rice on a plea that it is enriched with 'Vitamin A', the letter says.
A delegation of the IRRI Healthier Rice Programme Project has sought cooperation from the government for the release of golden rice varieties in Bangladesh and the government bodies concerned have assured them of their approval.
"We are deeply concerned over the steps to introduce the genetically-modified rice and foodstuff varieties in biodiversity dependent Bangladesh," the letter says, adding that Philippine's Appellate Court on April 17, 2024 directed its government to cease and desist from commercially propagating and conducting BT eggplant activities and revokes the bio-safety permit for commercial propagation of golden rice.
They think that there is no opportunity for commercial release of genetically modified and company patented golden rice in Bangladesh, when alternative natural sources of 'Vitamin A' exist and are easily available.
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