A burning issue

Md. Nizamuddin, Mirpur-1, Dhaka
Melamine is being detected in imported milk. The departments concerned, importers, traders and testing institutions are engaged in heated debate claiming their tests as true and correct. The government was rather hesitant at the beginning in dealing with the matter. Now the matter is in the court, awaiting test results from overseas. Time and again we the general people have suffered due to the government's incompetence. Companies are persuading mothers at school claiming their brands as the best one, offering gifts and other sales promotional materials free of cost. Our import policy order clearly stipulates that in case of import of food items, the exporting country must issue a certificate stating, “ Food is Fit For Human Consumption”. On the other hand, pre-shipment inspection agencies are also issuing relevant certificates stating different parameters of the product. Atomic Energy Commission is also issuing certificates for imported milk showing radiation results prior to clearance of consignments from ports. So we can see so many authorities concerned about general people's health! My humble appeal to the relevant authorities, please save our soul and do something positive so that we can get rid of such controversies. Parameters of testing results can be made more detailed through an amendment, irrespective of showing radiation results only in the relevant certificate as “Fit for Human Consumption”. We should not allow multinational and other importers to play with our children's physical well-being any more. The government should concentrate more on such issues, instead of wasting time on less important I matters.