Drugs are unadulterated, but food is not: Jamaat MP raises food safety concerns in parliament
Subikunnahar said although various fruits are available in markets during the fruit season, it is difficult for ordinary people to understand which are formalin-free and safe for health.
Jamaat lawmaker from a reserved women's seat, Subikunnahar, today (9 July) criticised the widespread adulteration of food in Bangladesh and said: "Drugs are unadulterated, but food is not".
She raised the issue through a supplementary question during the 22nd sitting of the second and first budget session of the 13th parliament, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram in the chair.
She raised concerns over food adulteration and asked what effective steps the government is taking to ensure adulteration-free food, with the State Minister for Food, Md Abdul Bari, assuring that all necessary measures will be taken.
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Subikunnahar said although various fruits are available in markets during the fruit season, it is difficult for ordinary people to understand which are formalin-free and safe for health.
"We see that there is no adulteration in drugs, but food is adulterated. This is very surprising," she said.
She wanted to know what plans the government has to preserve food quality and ensure adulteration-free food for the people.
In response, the state minister said food adulteration is a very important public health problem.
Because of this, people are suffering from various complex diseases, including cancer and kidney disease, he said.
The prime minister is deeply concerned about the matter and has instructed the authorities concerned to take effective measures, the state minister added.
He said the prime minister held an almost three-hour meeting yesterday (9 July) with mobile court magistrates conducting anti-adulteration drives, officials concerned and ministry officials.
At the meeting, a committee was formed under the leadership of the public administration adviser to determine how food items can be made free from adulteration, how mobile court activities can be made more effective, and what steps need to be taken.
Bari said the committee's first meeting had already been held, where several important decisions were taken.
The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and the relevant agencies under the food ministry will work in coordination so that adulterated food cannot be marketed, he said.
The state minister said that in line with the prime minister's instructions, the government is making its utmost effort to take the necessary steps to make food items free from adulteration.
He expressed hope that the government would succeed in this area as well by ensuring accountability in all cases.
