Stopping food adulteration

Stringent law suggested

Speakers at a programme yesterday said that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as high blood pressure and diabetes are increasing day by day among people mainly due to faulty food habit and lifestyle. 

Bangladesh has made substantial progress in enhancing food security by increasing production of food-grains, and by improving access to food by strengthening the public food distribution system, especially by expanding food-based safety net programmes over the past two decades, said Member of Parliament Abdur Razzaque. He was speaking as chief guest at a view exchange meeting on marking inauguration of research works titled ‘Reducing Dietary Related Risk Associated with Non-Communicable Diseases in Bangladesh’ at Hotel Lake Castle at Gulshan in the capital.
The speakers opined that the mass media can play an important role in raising awareness and highlighting the importance of nutrition.   Centre for Natural Resources Studies (CNRS), an international research organisation, in association with Public Administration department, Nutrition and Food Science Institute, Sociology department of Dhaka University, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), organsied the programme funded by International Development Research Centre.
Abdur Razzaque, also chairman of the standing committee attached to the finance ministry, said the widespread use of formalin in fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and milk for long-term preservation poses a grave threat to public health and nutrition. The level of formalin used in different foods is extremely high, he said. Besides, different types of agro chemicals are also being used in foods.  A stringent law and its implementation is needed to stop the offence, he observed.
"There is no alternative to changing our food habits to attain food security," said Farid Uddin Ahmed, dean of the social science faculty of Dhaka University.
Eating junk food and drinks leads to obesity, which creates heart disease, diabetes and kidney diseases. The media can play a vital role in this respect, he said.
At times, unsafe food is worse than no food. People can survive starvation for a limited period, but may have to die from consumption of adulterated food. More than 51 per cent die due to non-communicable diseases and other chronic health conditions. The trend of NCDs (primarily cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, obesity and various types of cancer) is on the rise, said Dr Mohammad Ihteshamul Haque Chowdhury, additional director general of Health Department. 
Chaired by Dr Akhter Hussain, chairman of Public Administration  department of Dhaka University, the programme was addressed by Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed, dean of Social Science Faculty of Dhaka University, Dr C Emdad Haque, professor, University of Manitoba, Canada.       

Stopping food adulteration

Stringent law suggested

Speakers at a programme yesterday said that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as high blood pressure and diabetes are increasing day by day among people mainly due to faulty food habit and lifestyle. Bangladesh has made substantial progress in enhancing food security by increasing production of food-grains, and by improving access to food by strengthening the public food distribution system, especially by expanding food-based safety net programmes over the past two decades, said Member of Parliament Abdur Razzaque. He was speaking as chief guest at a view exchange meeting on marking inauguration of research works titled Reducing Dietary Related Risk Associated with Non-Communicable Diseases in Bangladesh at Hotel Lake Castle at Gulshan in the capital. The speakers opined that the mass media can play an important role in raising awareness and highlighting the importance of nutrition. Centre for Natural Resources Studies (CNRS), an international research organisation, in association with Public Administration department, Nutrition and Food Science Institute, Sociology department of Dhaka University, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), organsied the programme funded by International Development Research Centre. Abdur Razzaque, also chairman of the standing committee attached to the finance ministry, said the widespread use of formalin in fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and milk for long-term preservation poses a grave threat to public health and nutrition. The level of formalin used in different foods is extremely high, he said. Besides, different types of agro chemicals are also being used in foods. A stringent law and its implementation is needed to stop the offence, he observed. There is no alternative to changing our food habits to attain food security, said Farid Uddin Ahmed, dean of the social science faculty of Dhaka University. Eating junk food and drinks leads to obesity, which creates heart disease, diabetes and kidney diseases. The media can play a vital role in this respect, he said. At times, unsafe food is worse than no food. People can survive starvation for a limited period, but may have to die from consumption of adulterated food. More than 51 per cent die due to non-communicable diseases and other chronic health conditions. The trend of NCDs (primarily cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, obesity and various types of cancer) is on the rise, said Dr Mohammad Ihteshamul Haque Chowdhury, additional director general of Health Department. Chaired by Dr Akhter Hussain, chairman of Public Administration department of Dhaka University, the programme was addressed by Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed, dean of Social Science Faculty of Dhaka University, Dr C Emdad Haque, professor, University of Manitoba, Canada.