Mangoes, treated with harmful chemicals, have flooded markets in the Rajshahi city and its adjoining areas because of lax monitoring by the authorities concerned.
The Bangladesh Pure Food Ordinance 2005 prohibits use of poisonous or dangerous chemical or ingredients such as calcium carbide, formalin, pesticides or toxic food colour or flavour in any food, which may cause injury to human body.
But, violating this ordinance, wholesalers supply mangoes from Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj to Dhaka and other parts of the country after treating them with chemicals.
Many fruit wholesalers confessed that they were selling mangoes ripened with calcium carbide and treated with formalin to avoid financial loss in the business of perishable food items.
The Rajshahi people have blamed law enforcement agencies for not taking stern action against the dishonest businessmen using chemicals in mangoes.
A fruit trader, Joynal Abedin, at Banesshor Bazar, narrating how he ripens mangoes and gives them fresh look, told New Age, ‘I am not sure about the name of the medicine, but it works like magic and is available in every pharmacy in the city markets.’
Meanwhile, experts have suggested setting up processing and packaging plants where mangoes would be packaged after freeing them of germ using ultra-violate ray.
Mustafizur Rahman, associate professor of agriculture faculty of Rajshahi University, told New Age that to prevent the fall of young mangoes, the farmers can use vitamin, instead of pesticides.
Senior scientific officer of Rajshahi fruit research station Abdul Alim told New Age that the farmers could use chemical only two times — before and after budding.
Kazi Giash, president of district Consumer Association of Bangladesh, Rajshahi unit, said ‘We do not have the authority to conduct mobile court against food adulteration without an administrative magistrate. But we are continuing our motivational works.’
He said they lacked lab or equipment to detect carbide, formalin or other chemicals in fruits.
Sukumar Kundu, deputy director of Consumer Rights Preservation Department, Rajshahi office, told New Age that they were conducting drives to check use of chemical in food products.
Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, the regulatory body which monitors quality of foods, emphasised creating mass awareness about health hazards posed by the chemically-treated fruits.
BSTI conduct drives twice a week against such malpractice, said deputy director in Rajshahi Rezaul Islam told New Age over phone.
Mentioning workforce limitation, he said also that they did not have their own magistrate. ‘We do not even get sufficient magistrate in time to conduct drives,’ he added.
Meanwhile, the Rajshahi police administrations are yet to taken any initiative to stop the use of chemical in ripening mangoes although the High Court issued an order to the deputy inspector general of police in Rajshahi on 26 May 2011 in this regard.
Mir Shahidul Islam, deputy inspector general of police in Rajshahi, told New Age that necessary initiatives would be taken in this regard.
Commanding officer of Rapid Action Battalion-5 Kamrul Islam told New Age that the battalion was trying its best to stop this illegal practice but the civic groups must be come forward in this regard.
In this context, Jana Udyog, a civic body, on Tuesday organised a press conference at Rajshahi Press Club, demanding immediate legal steps to stop this malpractice.
Jana Udyog convener Sayed Salauddin said combined drive against this malpractice was essential in all city markets and all the upazilas to protect public people.
He urged the authorities to start mobile court on highway and stop the entry of these fruits in the markets.
Jana Udyog member secretary Bimol Kumar Razoar, Rajshahi district chapter organising secretary of Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad Krisnojumar Sarker were also present.
-With New Age input
