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Some conditions for milk food products import put on hold

Coronavirus outbreak


FE Report | Tuesday, 7 April 2020


In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the government has temporarily put on hold some conditions for importing all kinds of milk food products including baby milk, officials said.
From now on, importers concerned can import all kinds of milk food products including baby milk items without printing condition that there is no alternative to breast-feeding on each tin, airtight package or bag and box of baby food with cream, they added.
But the importers concerned must print a sentence, "There is no alternative to breast-feeding" clearly in relatively larger letters in Bangla in a visible space on each packet or tin during marketing, they mentioned.
Besides, importers will have to follow other existing conditions for importing all kinds of milk food products including baby food or milk.
They have to maintain standards of food goods set by the government.
Only the members of Bangladesh Foodstuff Importers and Suppliers Association (BAFISA) will be able to enjoy new import facility.
When contacted, deputy secretary of the commerce ministry Mohammad MonirHossainHawlader said, "From now on, importers concerned will be able to import or release milk food with cream including all kinds of baby milk without printing condition that there is no alternative to breast-feeding on each tin, airtight package or bag and box of baby food with cream by the exporting country."
He explained that many baby item exporting countries have been facing difficulties due to COVID-19 outbreak. For this, importers concerned cannot import baby food items from those countries. The decision was taken to import food goods from alternative destinations, he added.
On April 04 last, the commerce ministry asked the office of Chief Controller of Imports and Exports to issue an order in this connection, a source said.
According to existing Import Policy Order 2015-2018, "The words: (There is no alternative to breast-feeding) shall be printed clearly in relatively larger letters in Bangla in a visible space on each tin, airtight package or bag in box of baby food with cream."
"Composition and percentages of various ingredients shall be printed in Bangla on tin containers, airtight packages or bag inbox of milk food," according to the policy.
It has been mentioned in the policythat the date of manufacture and expiry (for human consumption) of milk food shall be embossed or computer printed in permanent ink either in Bangla or in English on each airtight package with tin container, or bag in box.

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