Agora, Meena Bazar among outlets fined

Food safety authority starts drives

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), under the food ministry, started its function yesterday by conducting mobile courts in the city’s Shantinagar area for the first time since its inception on October 10, 2013.
 The mobile court fined two mega shops—Agora and Mina Bazar, and Coopers bakery Tk. 8 lakh, in total, for selling rotten and expired food items. It also awarded the manager of Agora two years of imprisonment.

Food minister Qamrul Islam, BFSA chairman Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar, director Khaled Hossain and other senior officials of the ministry were present during the drive.
Dhaka metropolitan executive magistrate Moshiur Rahman conducted the mobile court in Shantinagar area around 10:30am.
The magistrate of the mobile court awarded two years of imprisonment and a fine of Tk. 2 lakh to the manager of Agora for selling and keeping rotten fish, meat and expired food items, under the BFSA Act 2013 of Section 32(ka). The manager will remain in jail three months more in default of payment of the fine.
It also fined fast-food shop Coopers Tk. 3 lakh for selling bread and other food items past their sell-by dates. The official concerned of the fast-food shop will face three months’ jail in default of payment.
Mina Bazar was fined Tk. 3 lakh for selling rotten fish, meat and other food items past their sell-by dates and the official concerned face three months’ jail in default of payment of the fine.
“There were no any visible activities of the BFSA since its inception. Its function has started from today (Wednesday),” Qamrul Islam told The Independent.
The authorities concerned will conduct mobile courts in every week, he said in reply to a query.
“We have conducted a mobile court by an executive magistrate against some of the city’s famous super shops. It is very sad that they are selling rotten fish, meat and food items past their sell-by dates. The shop authorities have failed to show any proper documents in this regard as well,” the food minister said.
The minister said the BFSA will continue the drive against adulteration of food and keep a strict eye on shops selling food items. “We will conduct drives across the country in phases through BFSA,” he added.
The Jatiya Sangsad passed the Food Safety Act, 2013 on October 10, 2013 (after repealing and re-enacting the existing outdated laws in this regards) in order to make provisions for the establishment of an efficient, effective, scientifically-based authority and for regulating, through coordination, the activities relating to food production, import, processing, stockpiling, supplying, marketing and sales as well as to ensure the people’s right to access  safe food through appropriate application of scientific processes and the state-of-the-art technology.

 

Agora, Meena Bazar among outlets fined

Food safety authority starts drives

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), under the food ministry, started its function yesterday by conducting mobile courts in the citys Shantinagar area for the first time since its inception on October 10, 2013. The mobile court fined two mega shopsAgora and Mina Bazar, and Coopers bakery Tk. 8 lakh, in total, for selling rotten and expired food items. It also awarded the manager of Agora two years of imprisonment. Food minister Qamrul Islam, BFSA chairman Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar, director Khaled Hossain and other senior officials of the ministry were present during the drive. Dhaka metropolitan executive magistrate Moshiur Rahman conducted the mobile court in Shantinagar area around 10:30am. The magistrate of the mobile court awarded two years of imprisonment and a fine of Tk. 2 lakh to the manager of Agora for selling and keeping rotten fish, meat and expired food items, under the BFSA Act 2013 of Section 32(ka). The manager will remain in jail three months more in default of payment of the fine. It also fined fast-food shop Coopers Tk. 3 lakh for selling bread and other food items past their sell-by dates. The official concerned of the fast-food shop will face three months jail in default of payment. Mina Bazar was fined Tk. 3 lakh for selling rotten fish, meat and other food items past their sell-by dates and the official concerned face three months jail in default of payment of the fine. There were no any visible activities of the BFSA since its inception. Its function has started from today (Wednesday), Qamrul Islam told The Independent. The authorities concerned will conduct mobile courts in every week, he said in reply to a query. We have conducted a mobile court by an executive magistrate against some of the citys famous super shops. It is very sad that they are selling rotten fish, meat and food items past their sell-by dates. The shop authorities have failed to show any proper documents in this regard as well, the food minister said. The minister said the BFSA will continue the drive against adulteration of food and keep a strict eye on shops selling food items. We will conduct drives across the country in phases through BFSA, he added. The Jatiya Sangsad passed the Food Safety Act, 2013 on October 10, 2013 (after repealing and re-enacting the existing outdated laws in this regards) in order to make provisions for the establishment of an efficient, effective, scientifically-based authority and for regulating, through coordination, the activities relating to food production, import, processing, stockpiling, supplying, marketing and sales as well as to ensure the peoples right to access safe food through appropriate application of scientific processes and the state-of-the-art technology.