Campus Report :
An International conference on “Development of Guidance Materials on Evidence-Informed Food Safety Policies and Decision-Making Considering Multiple Criteria” was held recently at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban Auditorium of Dhaka University (DU). Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of DU and FAO jointly organized the event.
DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique presided over the function while Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal MP addressed it as the chief guest. Food Minister Advocate Md. Qamrul Islam MP, FAO Representative in Bangladesh Mike Robson and Food Safety and Quality Officer of FAO Mary Kenny addressed the function as special guests.
Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal MP said in his speech the present government is relentlessly trying to make Bangladesh a country of hunger free by 2030. We are also trying to reduce poverty level in the country rapidly, he mentioned.
Food Minister Advocate Md. Qamrul Islam MP said, the present government has already formulated the ‘Food Safety Authority’ to ensure public health in the country. He called upon all the professionals to work together for accomplishment the plans and actions of the government in this regard.
DU VC Prof Arefin Siddique stressed the need for enactment of food safety law and regulation to reduce incidences of food borne illness and garner consumer confidence. He said, more than 80 per cnet of chronic disease is caused by unsafe food, wrong food choices, toxic food ingredients and lack of nutritional consciousness. Therefore, entire food chain should remain under constant scientific surveillance for ensuring safe and quality food production. We must always remain alert against contamination and cross contamination of food items, the VC added. He urged the FAO authorities to extend their support and cooperation to DU as well as Bangladesh for conducting further research in the field of food safety and security.
It may be mentioned that, experts from 10 countries of the world including Bangladesh, Canada, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, Ivory Cost and Uganda participated in the conference.
