& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Govt takes food safety seriously

Health ministry can take lead role in checking food adulteration, Nasim tells The Daily Star

Porimol Palma
Health Minister Mohammed Nasim said his ministry should lead the government initiatives to ensure food safety.
Although the food ministry is tasked with helming the initiatives, Nasim believes his ministry is better equipped to carry out the work.
"If we keep the health ministry as the lead ministry and then involve the food, agriculture, commerce and other relevant ministries, we can work in a more effective way," he said, adding that the health ministry has an adequate number of experts and staff compared to any other relevant ministry.
He said he communicated the issue to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina two months ago when she had visited the health ministry.
"We told her that it was the role of our ministry but it went to the food ministry. We want to change it. She heard it. We will take the decision upon discussion," he said in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star at his
Dhanmondi residence on Thursday.
The parliament enacted Safe Food Act 2013 which has a provision of creating a Safe Food Authority to ensure a coordinated approach to make all relevant ministries work together.
The act has another provision of establishing a National Safe Food Management Advisory Council which will be chaired by the food minister himself, with the food secretary as its member secretary.
Until now, the government neither has appointed a chairman to the Safe Food Authority nor has finalised any rules for the act to be implemented, a situation that allows adulterators to carry on their business unhindered.
Against this backdrop, the health minister said that the food ministry lacks medical experts and technical hands to helm such a massive initiative. He also stressed that the food ministry looks only after food items whereas the health ministry covers food as well as drug and environmental issues.
"Most products falling under the purview of the food and commerce ministries are produced and marketed by the private sector. The government does not have much control over those," he said.
The minister noted that the Institute of Public Health (IPH) under the health ministry has a food testing laboratory and an adequate number of sanitary inspectors at the district and upazila levels to collect and test food items. They are also empowered to fine food adulterators.
The food ministry is not equipped with such a well-trained manpower, he said.
"So the food ministry has less responsibility compared to the health and commerce ministries,11 said Nasim, a veteran Awami League leader.
He said there is no clash between the food and health ministries but there surely is a lack of coordination between the two.
"We will take a coordinated programme under the leadership of the prime minister. You will see it happening by the end of this year," he said.
About 600 sanitary inspectors work under the IPH. They often complain of insufficient logistic support and low salaries. The number of sanitary inspectors is also much less than what is required.
"As we start an integrated approach, these problems will be addressed too. We will hold a meeting with the prime minister to work out how all the relevant ministries can cooperate to ensure safe food, good environment and sound public health," the minister said.
Nasim thanked The Daily Star for a 10-day campaign the newspaper carried out on food safety.
“The Daily Star's campaign has created mass awareness," he said.
He said dishonest traders are mixing harmful chemicals only for greed, which are causing cancer, kidney failure and other diseases.
"Such ills must come to an end and the state will do its best to ensure safe food for people," Nasim concluded.