The High Court (HC) yesterday ordered the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) to submit a detailed report on those found responsible for adulteration of milk, curd and cattle feed. The BFSA has to submit the report by May 15.

The HC bench of Justices Md. Nazrul Islam Talukder and KM Hafizul Alam passed the order after receiving a BFSA report stating that it had formed a 16-member committee to find out the adulterators. The BFSA had formed the committee after an HC order on February 11. In a suo moto move, the court had directed the government to form a probe committee to identify the individuals and businesses involved in adulteration of dairy products and cattle feed in three months.

It also directed the government to conduct a survey to determine the quantities of cow milk, dairy products and cow fodder containing bacteria, antibiotics, lead and pesticides, which are harmful for public health as they are being supplied across the country.

Advocate Faridul Islam, counsel for the BFSA, submitted a report to the HC bench, stating that the 16-member committee formed in line with the HC directive has started its activities to find out the adulterators.

Following this, the HC bench asked the BFSA to submit a detailed report on them by May 15.

During the hearing, advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, counsel for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), appealed to the court for adjournment of hearing on the rule for a week as the commission’s assigned lawyer for this case, advocate Syed Mamun Mahbub, could not appear in court because he was ill. The HC bench granted his prayer and fixed May 15 for further order on the matter.

In its suo moto order on February 11, the HC bench had directed the ACC to enquire about the adulteration of milk, curd and cattle feed and to take legal action against those found responsible.

In the rule, the HC bench asked the ACC to explain why it should not be directed to take action against those responsible for such adulteration.

The HC bench observed that food adulteration was “corruption” and yet appropriate action was not taken against those responsible for it.

The ACC chairman was asked to implement the HC order. Regarding the testing of samples, the court observed that the tests should be repeated after every six months. The findings of the tests should be uploaded on the Food Safety Authority (Nirapad Khadya Kartripakkha) website so as to be available for the public, it added.

The HC bench came up with the orders following reports published in some national dailies on February 11 in this regard. The report said that based on a government-commissioned study, it was found that raw cow milk contained excessive levels of lead, and its regular consumption was detrimental for human health.

A study by the National Food Safety Laboratory, under the health and family welfare ministry, had reported high levels of chromium in cow feed. It also found excessive presence of pesticides, antibiotics and bacteria in raw cow milk.

The study was conducted after collecting 96 samples of cow raw milk, 30 of cow feed, 33 of curd and 31 of packed milk randomly from 18 places in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj between August and December last year.

It was aimed to provide baseline data about the contaminants in milk and milk products and cow feed in the country, to raise awareness among consumers and stakeholders and suggest appropriate remedies.

Deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state during the hearing on the matter.

IK