In a week or two:Daily Star

Bangladesh Food Safety Authority will be formed in a week or two, Food Minister Quamrul Islam said yesterday, boosting optimism that food adulterators would be brought to book. “The process to appoint a chairman and four members [of the authority] is underway,” he told a workshop at the city's Cirdap auditorium. The food ministry in association with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) organise
d the event on “Institutionalisation of Food Safety in Bangladesh”. Quamrul said all the 13 line ministries will coordinate on food safety to ensure safety at all levels, including production, import, processing, stock, supply, marketing, transportation and sale of food. The minister had earlier said implementation of the Food Safety Act, 2013 would take two to three years. He, however, did not specify a timeframe for finalising the regulations, which is essential to enforce the law. Consumers have long been seriously concerned about adulteration and contamination of food, which is a major public health concern. Advertisement Use of formalin, fruit ripening agents, cow-fattening medicines, excessive pesticides in food production and contamination of livestock feed have been rampant, much to the worries of consumers. The authorities concerned had been negligent in coordinating with various government ministries and departments responsible for checking the irregularities. The Jatiya Sangshad, against such a grim backdrop, last year enacted Food Safety Act 2013 with a provision of forming Bangladesh Food Safety Authority. It will be tasked with setting food safety standards, enforcing related laws and ensuring coordination between the line ministries and departments. Mike Robson, FAO representative in Bangladesh, lauded the government's approach to implement the food safety act. He stressed the need for capacity building and strengthening the institutions concerning food safety.   Shashi Sareen of FAO said they would help the government formulate the regulations on the basis of the Food Safety Act 2013. Ramona El Hamzaoui of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also spoke, with Food Secretary Mushfeka Ikfat in the chair.