S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
About 50 bakeries having no formal approval from Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) or licence have been manufacturing food items and selling those throughout the Sylhet city and district for years. They are also making substandard and adulterated food products.
These bakeries are posing serious health hazards to the consumers as the authorities take no visible actions against them.
Sources said at least 100 biscuit and bread factories have been set up in Sylhet city and district in recent years.
Of them, only 50 bakeries have received BSTI approval while the others are running illegally.
All the 50 illegal bakeries make food items claiming those as special food products.
They mix toxic chemicals to enhance colour of the products and then wrap them in foil papers with fake BSTI seals. People including women and children take these food items in good faith and often fall sick.
Dysentery, diarrhoea and liver complications are common among the consumers, said Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital doctor Salam Ahmed.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, owner of an illegal biscuit and bread factory in the city area, said, We purchase packets bearing BSTI seals and name tags Special Food Products from different shops in the city.
“We put our products in them and sell those freely,” he said, adding that bakery owners sometimes use toxic chemicals to enhance food colour to attract customers.”
Abdul khalik, a schoolteacher in the city’s area, said the bakery owners were able to manufacture and supply adulterated products because there was no authority to hold them accountable.
Rezaul Haque, zonal head of Sylhet BSTI, said they had served notices on the illegal bakery owners in Sylhet asking them to obtain license.
Without help of the local administration, BSTI officials cannot conduct any drive against these illegal bakeries,” he said.
DC of Sylhet Joynal Abedin said, “Every month we serve mobile courts to take steps against the illegal bakery owners and stop their illegal business.”
About 50 bakeries having no formal approval from Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) or licence have been manufacturing food items and selling those throughout the Sylhet city and district for years. They are also making substandard and adulterated food products.
These bakeries are posing serious health hazards to the consumers as the authorities take no visible actions against them.
Sources said at least 100 biscuit and bread factories have been set up in Sylhet city and district in recent years.
Of them, only 50 bakeries have received BSTI approval while the others are running illegally.
All the 50 illegal bakeries make food items claiming those as special food products.
They mix toxic chemicals to enhance colour of the products and then wrap them in foil papers with fake BSTI seals. People including women and children take these food items in good faith and often fall sick.
Dysentery, diarrhoea and liver complications are common among the consumers, said Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital doctor Salam Ahmed.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, owner of an illegal biscuit and bread factory in the city area, said, We purchase packets bearing BSTI seals and name tags Special Food Products from different shops in the city.
“We put our products in them and sell those freely,” he said, adding that bakery owners sometimes use toxic chemicals to enhance food colour to attract customers.”
Abdul khalik, a schoolteacher in the city’s area, said the bakery owners were able to manufacture and supply adulterated products because there was no authority to hold them accountable.
Rezaul Haque, zonal head of Sylhet BSTI, said they had served notices on the illegal bakery owners in Sylhet asking them to obtain license.
Without help of the local administration, BSTI officials cannot conduct any drive against these illegal bakeries,” he said.
DC of Sylhet Joynal Abedin said, “Every month we serve mobile courts to take steps against the illegal bakery owners and stop their illegal business.”
