Food adulteration

Speakers at a workshop titled “Institutional Development and Role and Responsibilities of Consumers Committee” at Paba Upazila Parishad in Rajshahi on Monday rightly called for raising voice against food adulteration in the greater interests of consumers’ rights protection. According to a report of this newspaper on Wednesday, they viewed that if the people forge social resistance against the food adulteration, none can dare to commit such crimes.

It is disturbing to note that adulteration of food items is wreaking havoc with the life of the people in Bangladesh. There are very few food items in the country that can be taken safely. Widespread adulteration of food items has jeopardized the food safety situation in the country. Use of toxins, pesticide residues, microbiological contamination, veterinary drug residues and heavy metals have made food items hazardous.  

Consumption of adulterated food items is exposing the people from various strata of life to health hazards. In fact, people are hostage to the hands of the dishonest traders who are thriving cashing in on the helplessness of the former. Thousands of people are taking these not knowing what a danger they are inviting for themselves. The members of the law enforcement agencies conduct drives once in a blue moon. After that things go back to the square one.   

There are syndicates for adulterating food items. They have connections with the powerful quarters and hence they can dodge the law and punishment. It is the consumers who bear the brunt of the situation. Besides, there are scores of impoverished people who make a living by selling substandard food items near the streets and pavements.

Consumers of these food items are mostly the people of low income groups, particularly rickshaw-pullers. They have hardly any choice regarding intake of food. The ingredients for making these food items, including water, are not at all safe for health. According to an ICDDRB study report, about 50 per cent of the street food tested was contaminated with various bacteria that may cause cholera, diarrhoea and even kidney failure.

The sellers of the adulterated food items should be brought under the vigilance net in the interest of public health. Besides, proper enforcement of the Consumers' Rights Protection (CRP) Law could be the vital means of protecting the consumers' rights and freeing people from being affected by any food poisoning and other contamination. There is an urgent need of bringing all the businessmen and others concerned under the awareness programme to stop food adulteration. Awareness should also be created against consumption of such unhygienic and unsafe foods.

 

Food adulteration

Speakers at a workshop titled Institutional Development and Role and Responsibilities of Consumers Committee at Paba Upazila Parishad in Rajshahi on Monday rightly called for raising voice against food adulteration in the greater interests of consumers rights protection. According to a report of this newspaper on Wednesday, they viewed that if the people forge social resistance against the food adulteration, none can dare to commit such crimes. It is disturbing to note that adulteration of food items is wreaking havoc with the life of the people in Bangladesh. There are very few food items in the country that can be taken safely. Widespread adulteration of food items has jeopardized the food safety situation in the country. Use of toxins, pesticide residues, microbiological contamination, veterinary drug residues and heavy metals have made food items hazardous. Consumption of adulterated food items is exposing the people from various strata of life to health hazards. In fact, people are hostage to the hands of the dishonest traders who are thriving cashing in on the helplessness of the former. Thousands of people are taking these not knowing what a danger they are inviting for themselves. The members of the law enforcement agencies conduct drives once in a blue moon. After that things go back to the square one. There are syndicates for adulterating food items. They have connections with the powerful quarters and hence they can dodge the law and punishment. It is the consumers who bear the brunt of the situation. Besides, there are scores of impoverished people who make a living by selling substandard food items near the streets and pavements. Consumers of these food items are mostly the people of low income groups, particularly rickshaw-pullers. They have hardly any choice regarding intake of food. The ingredients for making these food items, including water, are not at all safe for health. According to an ICDDRB study report, about 50 per cent of the street food tested was contaminated with various bacteria that may cause cholera, diarrhoea and even kidney failure. The sellers of the adulterated food items should be brought under the vigilance net in the interest of public health. Besides, proper enforcement of the Consumers Rights Protection (CRP) Law could be the vital means of protecting the consumers rights and freeing people from being affected by any food poisoning and other contamination. There is an urgent need of bringing all the businessmen and others concerned under the awareness programme to stop food adulteration. Awareness should also be created against consumption of such unhygienic and unsafe foods.