Profit-hungry traders blamed for food adulteration

Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury speaks at a dialogue on 'Food trade and consumers' security' at the National Press Club in the city yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

They also called on the people to take a strong stand against the commercialisation of food products at home and abroad in order to ensure food security for all.

The Samaj Rupantar Odhyan Kendra (Centre for studies in social transformations) organised the dialogue on 'Food trade and consumers' security' at the National Press Club in the city.

The tendency to earn excessive profit is the major reason behind the flooding of local markets with adulterated foods, said Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury, president of the centre.

He called for raising awareness among the people as well as the political parties to check food adulteration, he added.

Fruits, vegetables and other foods are now carrying poison as chemical fertiliser and various types of insecticides and toxic substances are being used to produce and ripen them, said noted economist Anu Mohammad in his keynote paper.

Even the business of artificial colours and toxic substances used in foods is now booming, he added.

"Fifty-one percent children are still suffering from malnutrition in the country, although no-one is supposed to face such problem as per the present rate of food production and import," he noted.

ABM Faruque, a teacher of pharmacy department, Dhaka University, stressed the need for framing a proper advertisement policy to stop advertisement campaign for adulterated food products.

Prof Ahmed Kamal compared the practice of using toxic substances in food items to the weapons of mass destruction.

Samaj Rupantar Odhyan Kendra coordinator Inamul Haque and Dr Keramat Ali also spoke.