Agrobangla, a platform of students of different universities, on Saturday alleged that the government was trying to evade its duty to monitor food adulteration pleading lack of manpower.
They said the government’s different bodies — city corporations and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution — were shrugging off their responsibility leaving the sector unmonitored.
At a human chain in front of the national parliament, they also said the High Court gave an order on August 16 last year to continue mobile court drives to check food
adulteration.
Founder of the organisation Mohiuddin Ahmed said the government should formulate a strict provision so that chemicals could not be purchased without registration.
They said not only formalin but also different other chemicals, pesticides and toxic chemicals were being used in agro-products.
They alleged that the government was pursuing a double-standard by not stopping illegal sale of formalin and launching sporadic drive against use of formalin in foods.
‘This ultimately endangers people’s health and our next generation is growing up in bad health,’ Ahmed said.
Formajul Haque, formal director general of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, said awareness should be built at grassroots level.
They said people do not get proper nutrition taking contaminated foods.
Among others, food expert Belal Hossain was present.
-With New Age input
