Submit lab test reports on milk thru affidavid: HC asks BSTI

Dhaka, July 23 – The High Court on Tuesday directed the Bangladesh Standards Testing Institute (BSTI) to submit reports of three laboratory tests of pasturised milk before it through an affidavit
The HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir yesterday came up with the order while BSTI lawyer Barrister Sarker MR Hasan placed three separate lab test reports after conducting test on pasteurised milk of 14 brand companies after collecting sample from the markets in line with the HC order.The HC bench expressed dissatisfaction over the BSTI for not to inform it about its plan on how much time it would need to develop its laboratory and parameters to detect antibiotics in the milk.
“We asked you to submit the report over two matters. But, you have submitted only test report. Why you are not submitting your plan to develop the lab,” the HC bench asked the BSTI lawyer.
While the BSTI lawyer placed three lab test reports, the HC wanted to know from the BSTI lawyer about the other lab test report. But, BSTI lawyer said that Institute of Public Health (IPH) sought time as it could not complete the test.
Later, the HC bench adjourned hearing on the matter till today (Wednesday) and asked the BSTI lawyers to submit all four lab test reports before it through affidavit.
However, the HC bench asked the lawyers concerned not to disclose the content of the reports as it is yet to receive another lab test report in this regard.
BSTI submitted three labs—- Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB) and Feed and Food Safety Laboratory under Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute—-test reports before the court after conducting test on 14 brand pasteurised milk companies. The samples have been collected from the markets in accordance with the HC directive.
Another laboratory of Institute of Public Health (IPH) is now conducting test on the milk in line with the HC directive. But, the HC bench asked the IPH to submit its test report before it by today (Wednesday).
The same bench of the HC had on July 14 directed the BSTI to test the pasteurised milk produced by all the 14 registered companies in the market.
It came up with the order during hearing on a writ petition, filed by Supreme Court (SC) lawyer advocate Tanveer Ahmed in May last year.
The court asked the BSTI to conduct the tests at four laboratories and submit the lab reports separately before the HC bench on July 23.
The HC bench said that all the laboratories will conduct the tests individually after randomly collecting milk samples from the market. The laboratories will test the milk to determine the existence of hazardous substances like coliform, staphylococcus, acidity, formalin, detergent and antibiotics in the pasteurised milk.
The court also directed the BSTI to submit before it on July 23 the action plan of the committee formed by the BSTI to determine the criteria of developing its standard to detect detergent and antibiotics in pasteurised milk.
The HC bench also asked the BSTI to inform the HC how much time it would need to develop its laboratory and parameters to detect antibiotics in the milk.
But, BSTI did not inform the HC bench yesterday over the matter. Hence it expressed dissatisfaction over BSTI for not complying with its order.
Barrister Aneek R Haque appeared for the writ petitioner, while barrister Sarker MR Hasan argued for the BSTI.
Lawyers concerned could not disclose the contents of the test reports due to the embargo of the High Court bench. They said that after submitting the reports through affidavit the content might be cleared among the people. – Staff Reporter