Consumer rights activists have strongly resented the government’s decision to relax punishment for food adulterers, saying death penalty for use of chemicals and harmful substances in food must be reincorporated in the proposed law to check widespread food adulteration. The activists expressed deep concern over the decision to drop the provision of capital punishment from the proposed law, sources said.
On July 1, the cabinet approved in principle the draft of the “Safe Food Law 2013”, with a provision for 14-year imprisonment as the highest punishment for food adulteration. The draft is now being vetted by the law
ministry.
According to the sources, the original draft of the law had recommended capital punishment for those who use harmful substances in food, sometimes leading to fatalities.
Different rights organisations have demanded that the government incorporate capital punishment in the proposed law as a preventive measure to stop the sale of adulterated food.
Kazi Faruk, president of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said the government should not formulate any law that will not benefit the people. “We want food free of adulteration. The government should incorporate the provision of capital punishment in the proposed safe food law. Enactment of laws without this provision will not help as unscrupulous traders will not hesitate to use dye in items like ice creams or chocolates unless the government enforces tough and stern measures to ensure food safety,” he said.
“The extent of food adulteration has reached from farm to fork. It is not clear to us why the government is playing with the law,” he added.
Abu Naser Khan, chairman of Paribesh Bachao Andolon, also demanded capital punishment for those who adulterate food. “Those who adulterate food should be identified as mass killers. They should be brought under the existing law of the country,” the green activist said. “We are against capital punishment. But as there is provision of hanging in the country’s law, they should be tried under the existing law,” he said. He also suggested a provision of compensation in the proposed law so that consumers affected by adulterated food can be compensated adequately.
Food minister Muhammad Adbur Razzaque told The Independent that the draft of the Safe Food Law, 2013 will be passed during the next session of Parliament. “As many people have opposed capital punishment, it has not been incorporated in the draft law,” he said. The draft law will, however, be scrutinised and approved at an inter-ministerial meeting, he added.
The minister further said that the government would enact a tough law against the sale of adulterated food, including fruits and vegetables, and it would act as a deterrent against food adulteration.
Law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister Shafique Ahmed told The Independent that a law will be formulated keeping the public concern in mind.
“We are vetting the draft law on food safety. The law will be placed before an inter-ministerial meeting for final approval soon and then it would be sent to Parliament for passage,” he said. The new law will help prevent mixing of formalin, calcium and sodium carbide and other chemicals in food items, he added.
The law minister said: “If any person is responsible for food adulteration for the first time, he will be given seven years’ imprisonment or Tk. 10 lakh as fine or both. If the same person is found guilty for the second time for the same offence, he will be sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment or Tk. 20 lakh as fine or both.”
-With The Independent input
