Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar said that the government is currently working to ensure food safety in the country.
He said this at a press conference at Probashi Kallyan Bhaban in the capital on Wednesday, arranged by Bangladesh Food Safety Authority marking the National Food Safety Day-2020.
Secretary of Food Ministry Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum and Chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety
Authority Md Abdul Kayowm Sarker also attended the press conference.
Sadhan Chandra Majumdar said that the Food Ministry prepared policies following the Food Safety Act, 2013. Eight labs have been installed in various districts with the help of Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA). With the motto of ‘Sustainable development, prosperous country, safe food Bangladesh’, the government will install laboratories to test food quality in every district, he said.
‘Seminars and caravan roadshows will be arranged at every upazilas and districts to create consciousness among people. Food manufacturers should also pay attention to producing safe foods. 486 different organizations are currently working on food safety in Bangladesh. Food Ministry is coordinating with the organizations. With the combined effort from all sectors, food safety can be achieved. Only government cannot fulfill this duty on its own, so I hope everyone will step forward to develop Bangladesh in the food sectors’, he added.
Chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Md Abdul Kayowm Sarker informed that they are currently authorizing more mobile court drives to regulate the food standard of restaurants around major cities. Authorities also conducted drives during the pandemic as a trend of online food delivery culture increased during the lockdown period.
The Food Minister that people should prioritize adding brown rice to the food menu. People in the last few decades were being attracted to ‘Miniket Rice’ which is not actually a rice variant at all. The process of making glossy husked rice makes it less healthy. People should adapt to healthier food variants.
Does Food Ministry plan on diversifying food sources? Being asked by Bangladesh Post, Secretary Nazmanara Khanum on behalf of the Food Minister said that following SDG (Sustainable Development Goal, the government is now planning on increasing crops productivity rate. To diversify food production, the food ministry is prioritizing on producing vegetables, milk, egg, fish, and meat. Pulse cultivation has been increased in many districts especially in Patuakhli. As wheat is not fully suitable to grow in our climate, the Agriculture Ministry by the suggestion of the Food Ministry has set its eyes on mass production of corn. Making every district to be self-sufficient in producing diverse crops has been prioritized.
Minister Sadhan Chandra on a separate question stated that mobile court drives have been increased to monitor the food safety standard. Many hotels and restaurants have been graded by their safety ratings to and these are being constantly monitored. Drives will be increased in the upcoming Ramadan to monitor street food vendors, he informed.
