Food adulterators enemies of humanity

Describing those who adulterate food as 'silent killers and enemies of humanity', speakers at a human chain on Friday urged the government to take proper initiatives to ensure safe food for all, reports UNB.

They also asked the government to provide necessary equipment to laboratories for food tests, Nirapad Khaddo Chai, a platform for safe food, organised the human chain programme in front of the National Press Club in the city.

Dr MA Jaher, president of the platform, said food adulteration is more dangerous than a nuclear bomb.

"Those who adulterate food are enemies of humanity and silent killers," he said, demanding that the government ensures safe food for all.

"There's no alternative to taking safe food for the survival. Safe food is one of people's basic rights but a section of unscrupulous traders adulterate food in various ways. As a result, general people are affected by many diseases, including cancer, kidney failure and diabetes," he said.

Dr Jaher also urged people to come forward to wage a social movement to ensure food safety in the country.

"A social movement is a must against dishonest traders."

Nirapad Khaddo Chai General Secretary Abdur Rahman said the government should provide all necessary equipment to laboratories for testing foodstuffs.

He also demanded that Prof ABM Faroque, immediate past director of Dhaka University's Biomedical Research Centre who found antibiotics Oxytetracycline, Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin in samples of milk in his tests, is not harassed.

Rahman also said they will continue their social movement until safe food is ensured for all.

Prof Ali Abbas Khursed, a teacher of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of Dhaka University, and Moktar Hossain Forazi, managing director of Forazi Hospital, were, among others, present.

According to a written statement of the platform, around 0.3 million people are affected by cancer while 0.15 million by diabetes in Bangladesh every year following food adulteration.