One can go to court under tougher new law

A tougher new law takes effect from 1st February under which anyone may be jailed for maximum 5 years or fined up to Tk 2 million for adulteration of food.   
Officials said the Ministry of Food issued a gazette notification on January 26, 2015 on 'The Safe Food Act 2013', framed in the wake of allegations of reckless use of toxic preservatives in food items.
"The act will be enforced from 1st February 2015," a high official of the MoF who is involved in the process told the FF Wednesday.
He said that the existing outmoded Safe Food Ordinance 1959 would stand abolished, once the law comes into effect next Sunday.  
But any lawsuits, appeals and unresolved matters filed under the existing ordinance will proceed uninterrupted.
Under the ordinance 'Pure Food Court' is now in existence for trying food-related offences. It will be replaced by 'Safe Food Court' under the new law.  
Under the existing ordinance none could file directly any case against unsafe food producers and sellers. But the new law (The Safe Food Act 2013) empowers anyone to file such a case.
"The new law allows anyone to file cases regarding unsafe food activities in the 'Safe Food Court' within 30 days from the date of the causes arise," the official said.
The law has the provision for meting out jail sentences for 23 categories of food offences, ranging from one year to five years, or fining the offender Tk 0.4 million to Tk 2 million.
He said the government had enacted the law after reviewing the laws that exist in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The MoF has already completed Safe Food Guidelines 2014.
There will be a National Safe Food Management Advisory Council under the leadership of the food minister to supervise the application of the law, crucial for saving people's life from serious hazards caused by food faking.        
The 30-member council will give suggestions to the government on safe food.  
To strictly enforce the law the government has already formed a Safe Food Authority that will coordinate with other ministries and divisions involved with safe-food matters.
The government has already appointed a member-secretary and three members for the authority.
Food safety has become a burning issue in Bangladesh, as unbridled food adulteration and use of toxic chemicals by crooked traders to preserve fruits, vegetables and fishes have put public health in jeopardy.
Various types of toxic chemicals are reportedly being used in all kinds of food items to ripen them or keep them fresh.
This mindless mischief is being likened to 'slow-poisoning' people. Deadly diseases are caused mainly due to taking substandard and chemicals-laced food.
[email protected]