Safe food still a long haul: BFSA roundtable

The access to safe food is still a long haul for the Bangladeshis as harmful practices prevail from production to consumption, a serious public health concern, speakers said at a roundtable discussion on Wednesday.
They also underscored the need for initiating a bold movement to ensure people's right to safe food by creating awareness.
They presented their observations at the roundtable organised by Bangladesh Safe Food Alliance (BSFA) at the National Press Club.
BSFA president Kazi Zia Shams presided over the roundtable moderated by Aminul Islam Babu, general secretary, while Mohammad Nazim Uddin, senior scientific officer of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, presented the keynote speech.
Over usage of fertilisers and different chemicals at various phases of food production-- from field to plate-- have been causing serious safety issues, Mohammad Nazim said in his speech.
Outlining different issues of food safety, he said a radical change in agriculture and food system reform is needed to overcome this current situation.
"This reform requires not only policy changes, but also changes in practice, as well as clarifying the approach to policy making about whether they are transformative or regenerative," he said.
There are nearly 15 laws to ensure safe food in the country, he said, adding that still food safety has not been guaranteed.
Every step of the food process, the materials used and the environment in which they are prepared, must be made safe at any cost to ensure food safety.
Mohammad Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, professor of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, said people have become hostages to some companies.
"Even after knowing that some of their food is safe in the long run, they cannot get access to it. Almost every food is contaminated from production to consumption."
Local varieties of crops and plants are highly beneficial for the country's people, he said after elaborating their benefits.
He also suggested using social media platforms to raise awareness and strengthen the safe food movement in Bangladesh.
Suraiya Begum, a director of Research Initiatives, Bangladesh, said food politics and food sovereignty are two vital issues.
"Our freedom over food production is affected by global politics," she said, adding that due to the intervention of several international organisations, Bangladesh has lost thousands of local paddy varieties.
All platforms working for safe food promotion should coordinate in a bid to create awareness among the country's people.
[email protected]