‘Adulterated food a major threat to public health’

Ensuring proper measurement of food and its ingredients is vital for maintaining food safety as millions of people suffer from illness by eating contaminated and adulterated foods every year.

Hazardous food has been adjudged as a major threat to public health in the present context, so emphasis should be given on adopting effective measures in this regard.

Administrative officials and business leaders came up with the observation while addressing a discussion on the issue here today.

Rajshahi divisional office of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institutions (BSTI) organized the discussion at its conference hall to mark the World Metrology Day 2023.

Main theme of the day this year is ‘Advancing Measurement Technologies for Sustainable Development’.
Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi division Imtiaz Hossain addressed the discussion as chief guest with BSTI Deputy Director Engineer Saiful Islam in the chair.

President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries Masudur Rahman, Vice-president of Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association Abdul Awal Khan, Director of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Dr Selim Khan and BSTI Assistant Director Debbrata Biswash also spoke.

Additional Commissioner Imtiaz Hossain stressed the need for proper enforcement of the consumers’ rights protection act for protecting the consumer’s right as most of the consumers feel insecure especially in the retail markets and are deprived of proper measurement.

He called for forging social resistance against all sorts of manipulation, distortion, harassment and deception along with ensuring a healthy atmosphere in the marketplace.

Consumers’ rights in the developed nations focus on the right to information, choice, redress and representation, but we are deprived of such privileges, he added.