Food Safety Authority shirks responsibility while public health suffers

• Food Safety Authority has history of inaction despite finding harmful elements in foods
• It rarely exercises its powers, relies mainly on mobile courts
• Its labs are underutilised, with nominal product sampling conducted
• It wants licensing authority over food businesses, but pending for 2 years

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), tasked with ensuring food safety standards through scientific methods, has become largely ineffective, failing to take meaningful initiative while adulterated foods continue to flood the markets.

For instance, on 23 September, the Food Safety Authority released the findings of two studies conducted under its funding, revealing harmful levels of heavy metals in various vegetables, including red amaranth, eggplant, pointed gourd, okra, and green beans.

Besides, pesticide residues were found in four types of fruits, including lychee, which could potentially lead to severe health risks like cancer. 

The authority was expected to take prompt initiatives in collaboration with relevant government agencies. However, Food Safety Authority Chairman Zakaria said the responsibility for the study reports lies with those who conducted them, not with the Authority. 

"More studies are needed to prevent heavy metals from entering food. However, no decision has been made yet regarding further studies," he told TBS.

In contrast, former member of the authority Md Mahbub Kabir said the organisation should take necessary initiatives to ensure food safety from production to the dining table. 

He noted that globally, food safety authorities operate under health ministries or as autonomous bodies with substantial powers. However, the authority operates under the food ministry. 

"Although the safety authorities have powers to act, it rarely exercises its authority to seal, confiscate, or impose fines, relying mainly on mobile courts," he added. 

Meanwhile, the authority is in the final stages of establishing mini laboratories in 52 districts. Although these laboratories have been set up, product sampling is being conducted only nominally. 

The same situation applies to mobile laboratories in each division, which were expected to conduct risk-based assessments of all brands of a product but have not done so.

Previous inactions 

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, established in 2013, is meant to provide necessary support to relevant authorities or agencies in updating or upgrading the quality standards or guidelines for food.

Previously, bacteria such as E coli were detected in street foods like fuchka and sugarcane juice, but the Food Safety Authority failed to take any corrective action. 

Heavy metals were also discovered in rice, yet the Authority did not implement effective measures to address these findings.

Despite various studies indicating the presence of heavy metals in staple food items such as eggs, chicken, fish, meat, and potatoes, the Authority has taken no initiative to ensure the safety of these products.

In April this year, accusations were raised against Indian brands MDH and Everest for the presence of carcinogenic pesticide ethylene oxide in their spice mixes. Due to the high levels of this cancer-causing substance, both brands faced sales bans in Hong Kong and Singapore. 

While the Authority's chairman acknowledged the need to examine these spices, the organisation has yet to take action — five months have passed without any decision on banning the spices or issuing warning notices to raise public awareness.

Weakness of BFSA 

BFSA officials said there are two clear weaknesses in their organisation. 

Under the 2014 Food Safety Act, officials are authorised to conduct raids for confiscating food products. However, this requires a directive from the chairman, and so far, no one in charge has taken the initiative. 

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, however, has been actively monitoring the market using similar powers, the officials said.

Secondly, the Food Safety Authority needs licensing authority over food businesses, they said. It will ensure that no one operates a food business without obtaining a food safety licence and that all conditions for producing safe food are fulfilled before granting licences.

However, efforts to amend the law to obtain this authority have been pending for two years on the food ministry's desk.

On 22 May 2022, the Cabinet Division held a meeting regarding amendments to the law. The meeting directed some modifications and instructed that the revised version be presented to the Cabinet. However, the food ministry has not yet acted on this.

When asked about the delay, former food secretary Md Ismail Hossain said, "I am no longer with the Ministry of Food, so I prefer not to comment on this matter."

Officials indicated that without amending the law to grant licensing authority, the BFSA will struggle to strengthen monitoring over food processors or businesses. Consequently, these entities may not take BFSA directives seriously.

If this law is amended, the Authority could also work on certifying food products intended for export. The authority has proposed changes to increase or decrease fines in certain cases as part of the amendment.

Chairman Zakaria said they were working on strengthening the authority. "Ensuring safe food requires collaboration with various organisations, which can be time-consuming."

Regarding legal amendments, he added, "Some revisions to the law have been sent back to the Food Safety Authority. These need to be finalised and sent again, and since the process is complex, it might take some time."