Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) imposed fines totalling Tk 1 crore and filed 50 cases during 59 enforcement drives across the country in August for violations of the Food Safety Act, 2013.
During the month, 25 drives were conducted in Dhaka metropolitan areas, resulting in Tk 10 lakh in fines and 10 cases. Outside Dhaka, 29 drives across different districts led to Tk 48 lakh in fines and 31 cases.
In addition, five establishments were fined Tk 42 lakh, and nine cases were filed through summary trials conducted under the leadership of judges of the Pure Food Court and metropolitan magistrates.
The BFSA also monitored 1,198 food establishments across the country during August and issued health certificates for 13 exportable products.
Meanwhile, enforcement drives conducted between August 30 and September 5 resulted in Tk 15 lakh in fines and seven cases against seven establishments in Dhaka and several other districts.
During the week, five establishments in Dhaka metropolitan areas were inspected. Three of them were fined Tk 4 lakh, and three cases were filed for offences including operating without mandatory registration, producing counterfeit products, selling stale and rotten food, and failing to display trade licences and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) certification.
Four establishments in Chattogram, Sylhet and Lakshmipur districts were also subjected to mobile court operations during the same period.
They were fined a total of Tk 11 lakh, and four cases were filed for violations, including the presence of cockroaches and bedbugs at food production sites, the use of unauthorised ghee and colours, the use of karewa water in kacchi biryani establishments without approval, the failure to provide product labels, the production of food in unhygienic conditions and the use of burnt cooking oil.
The BFSA has also intensified monitoring of food establishments alongside enforcement activities to improve compliance with food safety regulations.
During the seven-day period, 137 establishments—including markets, hotels and restaurants, bakeries, sweet shops, and food production and processing facilities—were monitored.
The monitoring focused on compliance with food safety requirements relating to food production, storage, processing, serving and marketing. The authority said establishments found violating regulations were given necessary instructions and subjected to legal action where required.
Alongside enforcement and monitoring, the BFSA is continuing awareness campaigns to promote food safety among consumers and food businesses.
As part of the campaign, food safety-related television commercials and scroll messages were broadcast on Bangladesh Television, while audio messages were aired on Bangladesh Betar.
The authority is also disseminating food safety awareness messages through photographs, reels and videos on social media, focusing on safe food consumption, hygienic food production and marketing, and consumers’ responsibilities.
The BFSA said enforcement activities and awareness programmes would continue as part of its efforts to ensure safer food production, distribution and consumption across the country.
