Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday warned that stern actions will be taken against those engaged in food adulteration and formalin mixing in perishable food items.
“The government has already taken steps to control this criminal act with an iron hand as some dishonest traders in some areas of the country are putting public health at greater risk gradually,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while replying to a starred question from M Aftab Uddin Sarker (Nilphamari-1) during the PM’s question-answer session in Parliament.In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said her government during its last tenure had taken various important steps to prevent adulteration and formalin mixing in foodstuff.
She mentioned that the government enacted the Consumers’ Right Protection Act, 2009, established National Consumers’ Right Protection Directorate and controlled the formalin import by the Commerce Ministry.
Hasina also said the government has taken initiatives to make people aware about it and ensure regular monitoring of kitchen markets, import of formalin, its sale and use.
To prevent formalin use in fruits, vegetables and fish, the government has initiated a move to enact a law, ‘Formalin Control Bill, 2013’. The proposed bill now awaits the Legislative and Parliament Affairs Division’s vetting.
To monitor the markets, Hasina said, the government has imported three expensive Digital Formaldehide Meters from the USA. – UNB
