Food safety and quality control in Bangladesh

Dr. Mohammed HossainbrFOOD safety has become an important topic as consumers in Bangladesh have become victim of serious adulteration in food. It has been reported in the media how certain rogue restaurants are using dead chicken meat and sweets mixed with substances that pose health hazard. We cannot ignore as this is a matter of life and death. We have to maintain certain standards so that consumers are satisfied with what they consumed in terms of their quality, standard and hygiene. Even government has to provide all necessary support to maintain the safety of foods. Our constitution also gives importance to food safety. Article 15 of the Bangladesh Constitution states that it shall be a fundamental responsibility of the state to secure provision of the basic necessities of life including food. Article 18 of the Constitution states that the State shall raise the level of nutrition and improve public health as its primary duties. Both the Articles imply food safety requirements for consumers and the State must be ensured through enactment of appropriate laws. brThere are several laws in Bangladesh for maintaining health and safety standards. This writer like to give a short statement of those rules and laws so that the related official legal documents for health and safety in the past, present and future, can be better understood. All information, related thereto, was gathered from a seminar of global forum for food safety regulators held in Bangkok in 2004 organised by the FAOWHObr (a) The Bangladesh Pure Food Ordinance, 1959 This is an ordinance to provide better control of the manufacture and sale of food for human consumption. Now, this Ordinance is under revision as 'The Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendment) Act'. Under this Act, it has been proposed to constitute a National Food Safety Council, headed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as well as to establish Food Courts.br(b) The Bangladesh Pure Food Rules, 1967 In this Rule, there are generic standards for 107 food products. Now, this 'Rules' is under revision.br(c) The Food Grain Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial activity) Ordinance, 1956 (Ord. xxvi of 1979) This ordinance provides special measures for prevention of prejudicial activity relating to the storage, movement, transshipment, supply and distribution of food grains. It provides basis for the protection of false statement or information.br (d) The Radiation Protection Act, 1987 Under this Act, the Institute of Food and Radiation Biology (IFRB) of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission is primarily involved in food irradiation research and development in the country.br(e) The Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) Prevention Act, 1989 The Government has enacted The Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Act, 1989 for universal salt iodisation and banned non-iodised salt from market, aimed at virtual elimination of IDD from the country.br(f) The Essential Commodity Act, 1990 The purpose of administering this act is to stabilise, maintain or increase supply of essential commodities including foodstuffs. The mandate of Essential Commodity Act also includes broad spectrum of activities like storage, transport, distribution, disposal, acquisition, use or consumption of any essential commodity.br(g) Fish and Fish product (Inspection and Quality Control) Rules, 1997 Under this section of the Fish and Fish products (Inspection and Control) Ordinance 1983 (Ord xx of 1983) and in conjunction with fish and fish products Inspection and Quality Rules 1989, and other related provisions made thereunder, the government has made the Rules Fish and Fish product (Inspection and Quality Control) Rules, 1997. These Rules are basically meant to develop quality improvement to promote export trade. The quality control of fish and fish products in the country has earned reputation among the importing countries.br(h) Other Laws and Regulations In addition, a number of other Laws and Regulations exist in the country to ensure the safe and quality food viz. The Animal Slaughter (Restriction) and Meat Control (Amendment) Ordinance, 1983 (it is under revision);The Pesticide Ordinance, 1971 & the Pesticides Rules, 1985; Destructive Insects and Pests Rules (Plant Quarantine), 1966, amended up to 1989; Agricultural Products Market Act, 1950 (revised in 1985); Fish Protection and Conservation Act, 1950 (amended in 1995);Marine Fisheries Ordinance 1983 and Rules, 1983; Procurement Specifications, Ministry of Food, Rice Mill Control Order etc.br(i) The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution Ordinance, 1985 This ordinance relates to establishment of an institution for standardisation, testing, metrology, quality control, grading and marking of goods. Within the framework of this ordinance, the government has established the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). One import task of this organisation is to certify the quality of commodities, materials, whether for local consumption or for export and import. The Ordinance has been amended as The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (Amendment) Act, 2003. brIt is known from the website (httpwww.bsti.gov.bdabout.html) of The Bangladesh Standards & Testing Institution that it is a body made corporate under the law entitled, The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution Ordinance, No. XXXVII of 1985. Since its establishment, it is the sole body to look after the quality of the products in Bangladesh. brHowever, there are many functions presented at the website of the institute. Among them the most important one, according to this writer, goes like this To certify the quality of commodities, materials, produces, products and other things including food materials, whether for local consumption, or for export or import. But what we see in real situation is another story. Recently, a TV channel screened a documentary on how bread was being made under very unhealthy environment and how RAB identified the factory and took necessary action. As far as the present writer can recall,, the presenter asked the BSTI authority concerned regarding the case. The answer was simple We do not have enough manpower to carry out this job. So what's the result We have all rules and regulations but we do not have enough manpower to implement them. However, the BSTI website makes mention of consumers protection (during the period of a license in operation) activities including actions being taken such as bra) Surprise inspections of the licensee's factory are being carried out periodically by qualified inspecting officers of the institution and random samples are being taken and tested at the BSTI Laboratorybr(b) Products bearing the standard mark are collected by the surveillance team of the institution directly from the open market and tested in the BSTI Laboratory. Representatives from the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and the respective chamber of commerce and industries help the surveillance team in performing its function.brBut in practice, all concerned know better about what the BSTI said regarding consumers' protection. This scribe thinks as consumers, we need hygienic, quality and standard product with the BSTI's certifications. brSo far we understand that Bangladesh Government, considering the health and safety of the consumers, has brought so far 145 items of mass consumption under the mandatory certification marks scheme by issuing statutory regulatory orders (SROs) from time to time under the provisions laid down in clause 24 of the BSTI Ordinance 1985.brThis writer believes that the Bangladesh authorities need adequate infrastructures including laboratory services for inspectors as well as creation of public awareness. Strengthening infrastructures includes getting adequate trained personnel and expertise as well as tough enforcement. brThe writer resides in Qatar. He can be reached at E-mail hossain_mohammed@hotmail.com