Staff Reporter :
The authorities have started preparation to recall 52 substandard products from the market in line with a court order.
The High Court on Sunday ordered authorities concerned to withdraw these products from the market, found to be substandard in tests conducted by the Bangladesh Standard Testing Institution (BSTI).
Officials said the BSTI, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) will launch drive to recall the products, soon after receiving the full verdict of the court.
“We are yet to get the copy of the court order. We will take action once we got the copy of the court order,” Monjur Morshed, Deputy Director of DNCRP told The New Nation yesterday. He said the DNCRP would soon convene a meeting to set the next course of action to recall the products from the market.
“The DNCRP will require additional manpower to arrange the withdrawal process of the products from the market. We will seek the ministry’s help in this regard.”
“We have taken necessary preparation to implement the court order,” said Md Mahfuzul Haque, Director General of BFSA. He said that the companies will be given a certain period of time to withdraw their products from the market. Advertisement will be floated in media in this regard.
“Then they will be asked to dump the products in a particular place. And we will destroy them in line with the court order.”
The bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-al-Jalil gave the order on Sunday, after hearing a petition seeking withdrawal of these substandard products, following a BSTI report earlier this month.
The court asked BSTI, BFSA and DNCRP to take immediate action to remove these products from the market and stop their production until they meet mandatory BSTI standards. Ordering BFSA and DNCRP to submit a progress report by May 23 with implementation of the order, the court asked the three organizations to ensure food safety and proper standards for all products in the market.
The BSTI released their report on May 2, which found 52 food items to be substandard and/or adulterated, out of 406 food items in 27 categories that it tested.
The products included: Duncan Natural Drinking Water, ACI Coriander Powder, Danish Turmeric Powder, Pran Turmeric Powder, Pran Curry Powder, Madhuban Lacchii Shemai, Baghabari Special Ghee, Mollah Iodine Salt, Rupchanda Sesame Oil (Bangladesh Edible Oil), Well Food Lacchi Shemai, Madina Iodine Salt, Dada Super Iodine Salt, Sun Food Turmeric Powder, Teer Sesame Oil, Pushti Sesame Oil, Fresh Turmeric Powder, Mithai Lacchi Shemai, Mizan Drinking Water, and more.
