The government is determined to ensure safe and nutritious food everyone, Additional Secretary of Health Ministry Md Habibur Rahman said yesterday. “All ministries concerned and stakeholders are working together to this end,” he said at a programme of the Grand Finale of Bangladesh NutriStar: Nutrition Innovation Challenge at a city hotel.

Bangladesh NutriStar, part of the SUN Pitch Competition 2019-20, was organised by the SUN Business Network Bangladesh, which is co-convened by The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), World Food Programme (WFP) and hosted by the Ministry of Industries, and Light Castle Partners. Rahman said Bangladesh is flourishing in all fields and so safe and nutritious food is very significant now. As the chair of the programme, Additional Secretary of Industries Ministry Lutfun Nahar Begum said food system plays a key role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“So our different institutions, including the BSTI, have been working to ensure safe food for the people,” she added. She underscored the needs for supporting innovative Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh to bring solutions to address key challenges in the food system, such as food safety, food design, post-harvest losses and market connectivity, all of which limit the food system’s ability to deliver affordable, safe and nutritious food for all.