Hardening the penalties for food adulteration

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ACTIONS against food adulteration and sub-standard foods have turned out to be on and off actions, here and there -- and now and then. Enough fears are not there in the minds of the offenders that they are at risk every moment for being found out and that they must give up their ways because the penalties they would have to otherwise suffer would be very great.
Many adulterers have a rather casual feeling, hoping and thinking that only a few out of their vast number are facing some actions and that they can go on with their ill activities probably without ever getting detected.
The mobile courts and their operations are not liked by the offenders for understandable reasons. However, the penalties that are imposed by such courts are, in most cases, found to be trivial by them, no more than small pinches on their sides that they can ignore. But giving up of their present mode of food production and settling for healthy and safe methods would mean a reduction of their profits. Many adulterers prefer continuing with their present ways, quite undeterred and very stubbornly. The laws that the mobile courts are applying are too weak to create any strong motivation among the adulterers to change their ways for the better.
Besides fines, other severe penalties against adulterers need to be introduced. The government may say that it is not in a position now to pass tough laws to back up the activities of the mobile courts, in the absence of the parliament. But is that any problem? It is possible also now to make laws through Presidential ordinances. The government can make the laws tougher by promulgating such ordinances and these can be subsequently approved by the parliament after the general election.
Mozammel Haque
Wari, Dhaka