Consumers International Member promotes food safety in Bangladesh

05 March 2015

To mark World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) 2015, CI Member, the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) will be organising several national campaign actions, including a seminar on this year’s theme ‘Consumers’ rights to healthy food’. 

CAB food safety event

The seminar will be held in the capital city of Dhaka, with the aim of raising public awareness about food adulteration and the associated concerns for food safety. The Minister of Commerce is expected to be the chief guest at the event; with relevant government officials, professionals, and representatives from civil society, NGOS, journalists, and invited members of the public, also in attendance.

The seminar will be jointly organised with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), an agency for consumer protection specifically set up by the Bangladesh government in line with the key provisions of the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009.

Together, they have also produced leaflets and posters which will be distributed in Dhaka, districts and sub-districts. All 64 district administrations – in collaboration with CAB District Committees – will be organising seminars/discussion meetings in their own localities

In a country with a population of over 155 million people, food adulteration at some level of the food chain, is a serious and prevalent problem in Bangladesh. Food items are contaminated with formalin, calcium carbide, toxic textile dyes and animal fat to make the food look attractive, prolong shelf-life and produce in bulk.

Mr Ghulam Rahman, CAB President says: “Healthy food ensures a disease-free life. Food adulteration kills people.”

To combat this situation, the Bangladesh government has enacted the ‘Food Safety Act 2013’ and recently a ‘Bangladesh Food Safety Authority’ has been formed under the provision of this Act. Furthermore, the Parliament has passed the ‘Formalin Control Bill 2015’ with a provision of maximum life term imprisonment and a fine of BDT 2 million for mixing formalin in food.