Push for required supply chain infrastructure

Bangladesh lacks required supply chain infrastructure to ensure food safety though it has made tremendous progress in food production over the years.
Besides, positive changes in the stakeholders' mindset and awareness among all levels of supply chain are essential to ensure food safety.
The above observations were made at a seminar on 'Ensuring food safety and its availability as well as consumer rights as per the laws and regulations' organised by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and Friends in Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB) on the premises of Krishibid Institution Bangladesh at Farmgate in the city on Tuesday.
Director General of the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection (DNCRP) AHM Shafiquzzaman attended the seminar as the chief guest while CAB Chairman Ghulam Rahman presided over the event.
General Secretary of CAB Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan and Treasurer Dr Md Manzoor-e-Khoda Tarafdar spoke on the occasion, among others.
In his speech, AHM Shafiquzzaman said Bangladesh has achieved a tremendous progress in food grain production which has increased from seven million tonnes after independence to over 40 million tonnes now.
"Now it is high time we ensured food safety following our success in food production," he said, adding ensuring food safety is now the biggest challenge for the country.
"Many people are contributing to different sorts of contamination including river and water across the country, which ultimately results in toxicity in food chain," he said.
Highlighting poor supply chain in Bangladesh, he said even organic food can become unsafe due to unavailability of inadequate infrastructure like freezing carrier.
"There is an urgent need for social movement in the country to create awareness among all involved in the food chain," he said.
Echoing the same view, CAB chairman Ghulam Rahman said growers, middlemen and consumers all need to be aware of the food safety aspects.
"There are a number of laws to help ensure food safety and watchdogs to implement them, yet the desired outcome still evades us," he said.
He underscored the need for enhancing the capacity of those institutions and participation of stakeholders for creating an enabling environment.
Germany-based development organisation Welthungerhilfe provided financial and technical support to the seminar.
Head of project Welthungerhilfe Bangladesh Md Mamunur Rashid briefed the audience about a project being implemented in Bangladesh to help ensure food safety with participation of all stakeholders including the grassroots level.
Later officials of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and the DNCRP discussed various aspects of the relevant laws.
Officials from different public and private organisations, businesses from different sectors, food growers, and rights activists joined the seminar.

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