Fighting adulteration to help ensure safe food

FE Team | Published: February 03, 2018 21:08:47

FE Report
Speakers at a seminar on Saturday called for preventing food adulteration to ensure safe food.
They also laid emphasis on good regulatory review practices in the food industry for improving food safety.
They also recommended harmonising regional and international standards, laws and best practices for food safety.
The views came at the seminar on "Improvement of Food Safety in Bangladesh: Harmonisation of Regional and International Standards, Legislations and Best Practices" marking the 'National Food Safety Day' at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.
The ministry of food (MoF) in collaboration with the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) organsied the event.
The slogan of this year is "Nirapad Khadya Bhorbo Desh-Sobai Miley Gorbo Sonar Bangladesh." (Let the country be filled with safe food, let us build golden Bangladesh).
Food Minister Qamrul Islam was present as the chief guest at the seminar.
Chairman of BFSA Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque presided over the seminar.
Chairperson of Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan, India S Dave presented the keynote paper.
The speakers stressed the need for overcoming all problems at every level including ensuring food production processing, import and supply for getting nutritious and safe food for all.
They suggested that the BFSA strictly monitor food production, import, processing, stockpiling, supplying, marketing and sales to help consumers get safe food.
Terming it a big challenge, they said that the BFSA with cooperation from the government and the consumers could play a significant role in achieving the sustainable development goals by 2030.
Food Minister said the government was doing its best for improving food safety in the country.
He underlined the need for cooperation between the government, the FAO and the countries in the region for ensuring safe food for all.
FAO representative David Doolan said that his organisation will continue cooperate with the Bangladesh government for ensuring safe food.
The Parliament passed the Food Safety Act, 2013 on October 10, 2013 repealing the existing outdated laws.
Later, the government established the BFSA on February 2, 2015 to ensure citizens' rights towards access to safe food for the protection of human health and life.
Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of food Md Abdul Wadud, acting food secretary Sahabuddin Ahmed, director general (DG) of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution Sardar Abul Kalam, executive vice-chairman, regulatory affairs, Indian sub-continent, GSK Consumer Healthcare of India Arun Mishra and director, Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of Dhaka University Nazma Shaheen were present, among others.
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