Editorial
Beware of adulterated food
Assumes critical proportions during Ramadan
Food adulteration in Bangladesh is a year-long problem. Almost all food items ranging from rice, fish and vegetables to fruits contain deleterious adulterants which we are forced to consume with the responsible government agencies turning a blind eye to the adulterators. The month of Ramadan setting in, it is just heightened. Textile colours are rampantly used in most iftari items to make them crispier. Considering this rising trend during Ramadan, we welcome the commerce minister's instructions to the deputy commissioners to ensure "exemplary" punishment to food adulterators. His suggestion that the special drive teams be accompanied by "local elites" sounds apt.
We, however, feel that strengthening monitoring during Ramadan, though essential, is but an ad hoc measure. This fails to address the real reasons behind this abysmal situation in which profiteering gets the better of public health considerations. Extremely harmful industrial colours are used in candy, chocolate, cake, chewing gum, ice cream, biscuit, colourful sweetmeats etc. all the year round. So is the case with other basic food items including rice, fish and vegetables. Therefore, we believe that effective monitoring throughout the year should be conducted to arrest the culprits and thus bring the situation under control.
As we understand it, food adulteration is a seriously punishable crime under the Pure Food Ordinance (1959) and there are several agencies including Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI), Directorate of Consumers Rights Protection (DCRP) and local government bodies to constantly monitor and contain adulteration. Then why has the government utterly failed to control the situation?
Often, lack of co-ordination and sheer manpower shortage in the agencies are cited as reasons behind this. In addition to these reasons, we believe the government has yet to put it in its priority list. As well as increasing co-ordination between relevant agencies, the government must set it as one of its top agendas in order to ensure food security for all throughout the year.
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