Call to ensure safe, healthy foods for consumers
They made the call at a discussion arranged by Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, marking the World Food Safety Day 2021
Expressing grave concern over the excess use of insecticide in agriculture, antibiotics in poultry birds and harmful elements in food, speakers at an event called for ensuring safe and healthy foods for the consumers.
They made the call at a discussion arranged by Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (Gain), a Switzerland-based institution, with the support of Dhaka South City Corporation, in the capital city on Monday, said a press release.
Such malpractice is going on, resulting in adulteration in food across the country. There is a dearth of safe and healthy foods though there is no scarcity of food, speakers said at the event, marking the World Food Safety Day 2021.
Though food production is satisfactory, farmers have been deprived of getting fair prices of their produce. At the moment, it is a big challenge to ensure safe foods for the consumers and also fair prices of crops of farmers, they also observed.
The speakers stressed on raising awareness on safe and healthy foods so that the consumers can get such foods at affordable prices.
They also called on farmers and concerned others not to use excess harmful elements in poultry birds and crops for ensuring food safety of people.
Farid Ahmed, chief executive officer of Dhaka South, graced the programme as chief guest.
Md Babor Ali Mir, zonal executive officer (zone-3) of Dhaka South; Mojur Al Morshed Chowdhury, deputy programme manager, Institution of Public Health Nutrition; Prof Md Abdul Alim, member, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority; Md Shakhawath Hossain, project director, EatSafe project; Sheikh Zahidul Islam, president of Islambagh City Corporation Wet Market; among others, spoke.
Prior to the discussion, a rally was brought out in front of Dhaka College in the morning and ended at New Market Bonolota Wet Market.
Funded by USAID, two projects titled 'EatSafe: Evidence and Action Towards Safe, Nutritious Food: Covid-19 Response' are now under implementation by Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition to ensure nutritious and safe food and smooth management of the market amid Covid-19 situation.