BFSA gives grades to 33 new food outlets

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) in a programme on Thursday provided grading stickers to 33 new food outlets, including restaurants, sweetmeat shops, and renowned hotels, as part of its regular grading activities.
Besides, 40 other outlets were reviewed and re-graded based on their performance of last one year, of which 14 restaurants were downgraded from their position a year ago, said officials.
The grades are categorised as A+, A, B and C, where A+ indicates the safest food deliverer.
Grade A+ is given for 90 or more marks, A for above 80, B for above 70 marks, and C for below 70 marks - based on food storage atmosphere, administrative aspects, personal hygiene, sanitation, food preservation, and way to deal with consumers.
BFSA Chairman Md Abdul Qayum Sarker spoke as the chief guest in the grade awarding programme.
He said ensuring suitable, safe and quality food is an integral part of developing tourism.
"When a tourist would go for a visit, he could get great help from these grading stickers," he added.
BFSA Member Shahnawaz Dilruba Khan, while presiding over the event, said the restaurants that have shown poor performance would get 45 days to improve themselves.
General Secretary of Dhaka South Restaurant Owners' Association Kamrul Hasan Bipu emphasised holding regular trainings on safe food in various government training institutes.
In the 2021-22 financial year, 33 food outlets were given new grading stickers, and 40 others were re-graded and given reviewed stickers.
Since launching of the BFSA, 150 food outlets were given grading stickers, and 71 were re-graded.
Grading stickers were given to 58 food establishments in FY 2018-19, 30 in FY 2019-20, 30 in FY 2020-21, and 33 in FY 2021-22.
Meanwhile, another BFSA-organised programme - 'Role of the Mass Media for Ensuring Safe Food' - was held at its seminar room on the same day.
Former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University A A M S Arefin Siddique said quality of foods should be ensured to such a level that these could work as medicines.
The country has food autarky, but now ensuring safe food has become a major agenda. The BFSA and the media have the most important role to play to ensure safe food for all, he opined.
BFSA Member Rezaul Karim said ensuring safety in the total value chain - from production to consumption - is the aim of the BFSA.
Media personality Rezaul Karim Siddique presented the keynote on the occasion, which highly emphasised establishment of an information cell for newsmen at the BFSA office.
He said regular interaction between the authority and the media personnel is needed to provide necessary reports for greater interest of the consumers as well as for the country.
Special correspondent of Daily Prothom Alo and president of Bangladesh Agricultural Journalists' Forum Golam Iftekhar Mahmud said the BFSA must work with necessary as well as current issues, directly related to public interests.
He said the website of the authority should be up to date to reach to maximum people.
The BFSA should have close collaboration, at least with the government research organisations concerned, which are conducting various studies on food safety and other related issues on a regular basis, he added.
According to the BFSA, performance of 14 restaurants, mostly located in Khilgaon, Purana Paltan, Naya Paltan, Baily Road and Segunbagicha areas, degraded in last one year.
Among the reviewed 40 entities, 'Coffee Lime' at Taltola, Khilgaon was the worst performing food outlet in Dhaka with only 49 marks, whereas it got an 'A' sticker just a year back.
Bikrompur Mishtanno Vandar at Chandrima Housing, Mohammadpur was the second worst performer with 50 marks.
Dacca Cuisine at Naya Paltan, Mr Burger at Khilgaon, Popeyes Coffee at Khilgaon, and Bikrompur Mishtanno Vandar at Kalabagan were also among the poor performers, which were given 45 days' time by the BFSA to improve themselves.

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