The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) fined seven establishments a total of Tk 10 lakh and filed seven cases for violating the Food Safety Act, 2013, during mobile court operations across the country last week.
The enforcement drives were conducted between August 9 and 15 as part of the authorities’ ongoing efforts to ensure food safety and protect public health.
In Dhaka Metropolitan Area, mobile courts conducted drives at seven establishments and fined three of them a total of Tk 4 lakh. Three cases were also filed in connection with the violations.
Meanwhile, mobile courts conducted drives at four establishments in Brahmanbaria, Moulvibazar, Dhaka district and Manikganj. The establishments were fined a combined Tk 6 lakh, while four cases were filed.
Together, the drives resulted in Tk 10 lakh in fines and seven cases against seven establishments.
Besides mobile court operations, the BFSA conducted monitoring at 130 food establishments across the country during the week. The monitoring covered markets, hotels and restaurants, bakeries, sweet shops, and food production and processing facilities.
The authority also organised a seminar in Joypurhat on August 14 on the role of local stakeholders in stopping the sale of loose edible oil. The event was organised by the BFSA with support from the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.
Food Ministry State Minister Abdul Bari attended the seminar as the chief guest and inspected the activities of the BFSA’s mobile laboratory van.
The authority also stepped up public awareness campaigns during the period. Messages on trans fats were broadcast for 14 minutes on Bangladesh Television, while three different food safety messages were aired for a total of 35 minutes on Bangladesh Betar.
The campaigns focused on safe food consumption, hygienic food production and marketing, and consumer rights. The BFSA also continued disseminating food safety messages through photographs, reels and videos on social media.
Research activities are also underway to generate information to support improvements in the food safety system, risk assessment and policymaking.
BFSA Chairman Md Shafiqul Islam said ensuring food safety remains one of the government’s priorities.
“The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority is working in a coordinated manner through law enforcement, regular monitoring, mobile courts, research, public awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagement,” he said.
He stressed the importance of joint efforts by the government, businesses, producers, consumers and other stakeholders to ensure food safety.
The authority will continue and expand such activities in the public interest, he added.
