Adulterated food, including ghee, milk powder, oil, flour, semolina and vermicelli, have flooded Chittagong markets ahead of Ramzan, posing a health hazard for residents of this port city.
Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh (CAB) sources said syndicates of unscrupulous traders have once again reared their heads in the city. These traders add harmful chemicals such as formalin, carbide and fabric dyes to food to make them look fresh. Moreover, the foodstuff is manufactured in unhygienic conditions. CAB central committee member SM Nazer Hussain said adulteration was most rampant in iftar items such as jilapis, potato chops, saffron, begunis, peajus, sweets, biriyani and white muri (puffed rice), targeting shoppers ahead of the holy month.
Hussain added that the dishonest syndicates found ready customers for their adulterated goods in the local retail markets, especially hotels, restaurants and bakeries. These eateries in turn used adulterated milk powder and other stale goods to lure shoppers with low prices.
“Neither the producers nor the retailers care for public health and never seek certification from the Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) before putting up the products for sale,” he said. He said consumers in Chittagong were being deceived on a regular basis, but were unable to express their grievances because of the absence of a helpline service in the city. He called for concerted action by those concerned and exemplary punishment to curb the menace of adulterated food. The district administration, law enforcement agencies and other government bodies are conducting raids against persons involved in selling adulterated food. The authorities have seized dubious goods and food from several shops and eateries. Notwithstanding the action by the authorities, including mobile raids by magistrates, the sale of adulterated food continues unabated in Chittagong markets.
-With The Independent input
