Food safety stressed for healthier nation

Staff Correspondent :    |    ০৬:৩৫ পিএম, ২০২২-০২-০২

As the country has already achieved self-reliance on food production, maximum importance should be given to ensuring safe foods and nutrition for all to build a healthier and meritorious nation.

The observation came today at a discussion titled ‘Food Safety’ organised by the district administration and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference room marking the National Food Safety Day- 2022.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Md Azad Jahan presided over the discussion, strictly abiding by the health directives and hygiene rules in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The district-level officials, traders and heads of food-producing companies and enterprises and media workers participated in the discussion.
Additional Superintendent of Police SM Shafiqul Islam, Additional Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension Shah Md Shakhawat Hossain, General Secretary of Panchagarh unit of the Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh Md Nazimuddin, Panchagarh Press Club President Safiqul Alam Safiq, among others, spoke.

District Safe Food Officer Mohammad Yamin Hossain delivered the welcome address narrating the importance of ensuring safe foods for all and various steps taken by the government towards the directions.

The speakers stressed creating public awareness to guarantee strict enforcement of the 'Safe Food Act 2013' and Consumers’ Right Protection Act, 2009 to ensure the rights of consumers to safe foods free from adulteration, poisoning and contamination.
They put importance on the implementation of a wide range of government activities to improve public health indexes by ensuring the availability of safe foods and eliminating the marketing of unsafe foods to save people from many severe diseases.

Md Nazimuddin said consumers are becoming more aware of their rights to getting safe and pure foods and already started reaping enormous benefits from the enforcement of the related acts towards the direction.

Shah Md Shakhawat Hossain called upon consumers to avoid unsafe foods and suggested establishing modern technology-based food management systems to ensure production, marketing and consumption of safer foods.

Md Azad Jahan urged traders and consumers to become aware of the severe consequences of marketing and consumption of adulterated and unsafe foods and consume only safe foods on the way to build a healthier and developed Bangladesh.