BSS, Sangsad Bhaban :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday categorically said that the government’s stern actions against those involved in food adulteration would continue in future to safeguard the public health.
She said activities including adulteration of the food items that are going against the consumers’ interest have been declining gradually due to strict measurers already taken by the government.
Replying to a tabled question raised by treasury bench member Enamul Haque, the Prime Minister informed the House that her government has taken various pragmatic measurers to ensure quality control of consumer goods and keep people away from the adulterated foods.
In this regard, she said her government has formulated the Consumer Rights Protection Law, 2009, established National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, contained formaline import, taken steps to formulate Formaline Control Law, 2013 and expedited market monitoring along with conducting mass campaign against the social menaces.
Giving details, she said that lawful actions had been taken against the perpetrators who are involved in adulterating food items by mixing toxic chemical including formaline under the existing Consumer Rights Protection Law, 2009.
She informed the House that the Formaline Control Law is being formulated keeping provisions of maximum life-term and minimum seven years’ imprisonment along with the highest Taka 20 lakh as fine for production, import, transportation and sale of formline without valid license.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said the concerned authorities have been monitoring markets everyday across the country to this end. Besides, the government has procured Digital Formaldehide Meter to identify the chemical in consumer items, she added.
Elaborating the government steps, the Prime Minister said the relevant government departments have fined Taka nearly 8.09 crore on different commercial organizations from April 6, 2010 to May 31, 2014 for selling adulterated items and date expired medicine, mixing toxic chemical in food items and producing consumer items in unhealthy environment.
Among those, some 186 commercial institutions have been fined Taka over 24.51 lakh only for tainting food items with formline while Taka 42.63 lakh on 463 pharmacies for selling date expired medicines, she added.
Apart from this, the Prime Minister said executive magistrates have been conducting mobile courts under Consumer Rights Law, 2009 against food adulteration across the country.
So far, they have conducted 1,702 mobile courts realizing fines at Taka nearly 1.24 lakh from 2,833 business establishments and putting 17 persons in jail on different terms during the period, she said.
