Hotels and restaurants overflowing with adulterated food.
From sidewalks to famous restaurants – safe food is not guaranteed anywhere. Substandard food is being prepared in an unhygienic environment. Toxic colors and chemicals are being mixed in food. Even the food of innocent children is not being spared; adulteration is being mixed. Unnatural deaths are happening, the number of sick people is increasing. Even though unsafe food is being flooded all around, there is no effective initiative to prevent it.
Even though such irregularities are going on openly day after day, the government’s supervisory agencies have become like a puppet Jagannath. Although there are some activities like campaigns and financial conflicts, nothing is being done. Therefore, consumers are having doubts about the quality of food even while eating at famous restaurants.
Experts say that there are flaws in every step to ensure quality food, from food production to transportation, storage, serving and consumption. Meanwhile, National Food Safety Day is being celebrated across the country today, Sunday, amid various concerns about the quality of food in the country. This year’s theme of the day is – ‘May food be safe, may people be healthy’.
On January 26 of this year, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority conducted a raid on a bakery in Uttara. The organization’s raid revealed that cakes, bread, biscuits and chanachur were being made in a dirty environment in the bakery. Non-food grade colors and butter were being used. The cakes prepared for sale did not have a production or expiration date. None of the food products stored in the establishment had a BSTI certificate.
This is the picture of adulterated food production across the country. Everything from food products, edible oil, baby food, bakery products, drinking water to life-saving medicines is being counterfeited. World-famous
Chocolates of various brands are being manufactured in the tin shed of Jinjira, Keraniganj. These harmful fake chocolates are being distributed across the country. Chalk powder is being mixed in the flour. Toxic dyes, soda, saccharin and wax are being used in sweet foods. Toxic dyes for clothes, brick and wood powder are being mixed in spices. Carbide, ethophen are being used to ripen fruits quickly and formalin is being used to prevent rot.
According to the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, they conducted 32 mobile courts in January. They also collected 3.2 million taka in fines for producing unsafe food. An analysis of the information provided by the organization shows that in 2024, they inspected a total of 11,366 food establishments across the country. Out of these, the organization conducted 203 mobile courts for violations of the law. In this, a fine of 24.3 million taka was collected from 226 people who were operating businesses without complying with the Food Safety Act. In 2023, the amount of this fine was 29.5 million taka. However, the production and marketing of unsafe food cannot be stopped even through raids and financial conflicts.
Those concerned say that the number of raids is insignificant compared to the need. They are also blaming the Food Safety Authority for not being able to ensure safe food. In this regard, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Vice President SM Nazer Hossain said, the authority should first take a decision to protect its interests. They are basically protecting the interests of the traders by citing manpower shortage. He also said, the number of raids is not being carried out to the extent that is required. We have been asking for a follow-up for a long time, which has not been implemented yet. Once a raid is conducted and there is no subsequent supervision, the trader is committing the same crime again. There needs to be a database here that shows who is being punished, for what crime and whether the trader is committing the same crime in the future.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Chairman Zakaria commented that ensuring safe food across the country is time-consuming. Yesterday, he told our time, we have several limitations. We are working on them to the best of our ability. After conducting each raid, we prepare a report. Where all the information about the crime is mentioned and the solution is also mentioned. We are also developing a follow-up system. We have taken a policy decision to test the food of the establishments raided after three months, six months and a year.
Referring to the issue of high fines in the law, the chairman of the Safe Food Authority said, “It is difficult for us to conduct raids at the marginal level because of the high fines in our law. However, they are being urged to ensure safe food through various training and motivation.”
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