Controversy over powdered milk
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Kamruzzaman Khan
The government had formed an expert committee for a 'final' set of tests on the 'eight' brands of imported milk powder alleged to be tainted with melamine. The latest tests involving the 'tainted' powdered milk were reportedly carried out by three independent bodies-two in the country, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and one in a Bangkok laboratory supervised by none other than the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Those in charge gave assurance that they will hand over a review report with suggestions for the next course of action. Whereas in the past it had happened that somewhere along the line, reports such as these either got lost, went into cold storage or some kind of 'watered down' explanation was given out on the pretext of not creating 'panic' among the people. This time the committee kept otherwise its promise and made the main findings thereof the reports public.
There has been enough drama regarding the matter. The Dhaka University tests, made earlier, were challenged by the importers but the courts ordered their ban. The government dillydallied so a citizens' rights group hit back filing a contempt of court against government bigwigs. This action prompted the powers that had to finally make a move and this they did by slapping a ban on the sales of the alleged tainted milk and sending law enforcers to raid places where they were being sold.
The final act in the tainted milk saga was the three tests mentioned at the outset. The review report made public on the basis of the findings through testing abroad by FAO says that melamine was found only in the three Chinese brands and the rest were clean. Meanwhile, nothing is yet known clearly about the findings of testings by two more local bodies/agencies in this connection. Also the authorities concerned have raised questions -- and pertinent though unpleasant, ones -- about the competence of the DU Chemistry Department.
And there were additional points to consider there in the context of the imperative to ensure safety of related food products. No contaminated or toxic milk products, powdered or otherwise, should be allowed for import, distribution and marketing in the country. But the question remains why 'eight' brands were singled out and not others that may pose equally a severe threat of being toxic, and, thus, to public health? Such brands other than the 'eight ones' that were tested by the Chemistry Department (CCD) of the Dhaka University could take over the market, in the face of withdrawal of those eight ('disputed' or 'made disputed') ones from the domestic retailers' shop? The importers of those 'other brands' would then have got the opportunity of 'making hay while the sun is shining'. There is a serious conflict of business interests among the concerned parties and all concerned circles should not ignore this.
The testing of three powdered milk of Chinese origin was, however, justified because of the clear evidence in China of their being melamine-contaminated. As such, we knew about the possibility that the Chinese brands might be tainted. So who did request the DU Chemistry Department to test some other brands -- and that to the exclusion of many others? And why did the rights group go into overdrive? On what grounds did they have so much trust on the test results by the Chemistry Department of the DU? Did the same department carry out such tests before and make their findings public? Are the facilities in the department up-to-date with the back-up logistics and manpower supports? If so, why there not the same utilised ever before for waiver public tests? Will the same department carry out some studies into the varieties of liquid milk available in the country and that are also reported to be toxic by the media in many cases? Were there all developments involving the powdered milk? Some people can already smell extortion. The government must take a hand and go deeper into the matter and if there has been any wrongdoing the people responsible must face the law. This is more so when the dairy products sector, both liquid and powdered, accounts for businesses involving a huge amount of money, employs a large number of people and deals with items whose quality and safety are of utmost importance for public health.
The government had formed an expert committee for a 'final' set of tests on the 'eight' brands of imported milk powder alleged to be tainted with melamine. The latest tests involving the 'tainted' powdered milk were reportedly carried out by three independent bodies-two in the country, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and one in a Bangkok laboratory supervised by none other than the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Those in charge gave assurance that they will hand over a review report with suggestions for the next course of action. Whereas in the past it had happened that somewhere along the line, reports such as these either got lost, went into cold storage or some kind of 'watered down' explanation was given out on the pretext of not creating 'panic' among the people. This time the committee kept otherwise its promise and made the main findings thereof the reports public.
There has been enough drama regarding the matter. The Dhaka University tests, made earlier, were challenged by the importers but the courts ordered their ban. The government dillydallied so a citizens' rights group hit back filing a contempt of court against government bigwigs. This action prompted the powers that had to finally make a move and this they did by slapping a ban on the sales of the alleged tainted milk and sending law enforcers to raid places where they were being sold.
The final act in the tainted milk saga was the three tests mentioned at the outset. The review report made public on the basis of the findings through testing abroad by FAO says that melamine was found only in the three Chinese brands and the rest were clean. Meanwhile, nothing is yet known clearly about the findings of testings by two more local bodies/agencies in this connection. Also the authorities concerned have raised questions -- and pertinent though unpleasant, ones -- about the competence of the DU Chemistry Department.
And there were additional points to consider there in the context of the imperative to ensure safety of related food products. No contaminated or toxic milk products, powdered or otherwise, should be allowed for import, distribution and marketing in the country. But the question remains why 'eight' brands were singled out and not others that may pose equally a severe threat of being toxic, and, thus, to public health? Such brands other than the 'eight ones' that were tested by the Chemistry Department (CCD) of the Dhaka University could take over the market, in the face of withdrawal of those eight ('disputed' or 'made disputed') ones from the domestic retailers' shop? The importers of those 'other brands' would then have got the opportunity of 'making hay while the sun is shining'. There is a serious conflict of business interests among the concerned parties and all concerned circles should not ignore this.
The testing of three powdered milk of Chinese origin was, however, justified because of the clear evidence in China of their being melamine-contaminated. As such, we knew about the possibility that the Chinese brands might be tainted. So who did request the DU Chemistry Department to test some other brands -- and that to the exclusion of many others? And why did the rights group go into overdrive? On what grounds did they have so much trust on the test results by the Chemistry Department of the DU? Did the same department carry out such tests before and make their findings public? Are the facilities in the department up-to-date with the back-up logistics and manpower supports? If so, why there not the same utilised ever before for waiver public tests? Will the same department carry out some studies into the varieties of liquid milk available in the country and that are also reported to be toxic by the media in many cases? Were there all developments involving the powdered milk? Some people can already smell extortion. The government must take a hand and go deeper into the matter and if there has been any wrongdoing the people responsible must face the law. This is more so when the dairy products sector, both liquid and powdered, accounts for businesses involving a huge amount of money, employs a large number of people and deals with items whose quality and safety are of utmost importance for public health.