Focus on enforcement of twin laws against food faking

Health rights campaigners Tuesday demanded of the government to fully enforce the two key laws against food contamination to save people from killer diseases spawned in the stomach.
As the global community observed the World Health Day on the day with safe food as the prime theme, they decried that The Food Safety Act 2013 and The Formalin Control Act 2015 virtually remained shelved while food adulteration went on in an alarming way.        
The campaigners noted that a major portion of the existing fiscal allocation for health sector needs to be spent for the improvement of public health rather than clearing salaries and various kinds of allowances of the medical staffs.
Sushasoner Jonno Pro-charavizan (SUPRO) organised a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital alongside 45 districts with the slogan 'Safe Nutritious Food: Commitment for Healthy Life'.
Supro's Assistant Coor-dinator Ariful Islam moderated the programme where coordinators of the non-governmental organisation Shariful Islam and Sakera Nahar, among others, also spoke.
Hailing the government for the enactment of some anti-adulteration laws, Sakera Nahar in a position paper said food contamination still remained a prime challenge for the country of 160- million-strong population.
"Besides such laws, visible and effective measures are required to limit the use of chemicals from growing level to consumption. Civic committee at each locality can be formed to this effect," the organisation suggested in its paper.
Citing a recent study, Shariful Islam said nearly 3.0 million people became victim of diarrhea alone each year due mainly to intake of contaminated foodstuffs.
A section of unscrupulous people uses insecticides and chemicals like formalin and calcium carbide on foods at various stages, thus converting food items to poisonous stuffs.
The speakers also demanded enhanced budgetary allocation for health equivalent to at least 3.0 per cent of the GDP (gross domestic product) or 10 per cent of the overall fiscal allocation, with measures for ensuring transparency and accountability in spending the public money.
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