Safe food day

The government, in order to prevent widespread food adulteration and to ensure availability of safe food in the country, has drafted a Safe Food Law 2013 which awaits the nod of the parliament. The government is also on the way of forming a single agency named Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA). The whole population is being slow poisoned through all types of food. Agricultural, dairy, poultry, fishery, bottled or canned food - nothing is out of this bad practice. These products contain toxic chemicals like pesticides, chemical fertiliser, preservatives like formalin, growth hormone, synthetic colour sweetener flavour, taste enhancer etc. which are highly risky for human health. The effect of this slow poisoning on public health is very dreadful. The challenge to provide safe food to people has been daunting. Only law and law-enforcement agencies are not sufficient to prevent this danger. An all-encompassing movement is urgent for this. The common people, various ministries like Agriculture Ministry and Commerce Ministry, NGOs, trade bodies, organisations engaged in social activities have to be brought on board to be partners of the movement. The authorities concerned must earmark a day as 'Safe Food Day' in a year for raising public awareness and also to rejuvenate the movement. In June 2012, 14 children died in Dinajpur and Thakurgaon having litchi on which insecticide was sprayed. Hence, we appeal to the government to declare June 14 as the Safe Food Day. Lt Col Quazi Salimuddin (retd) Adabor, Dhaka bishmukto.bangla@gmail.com