S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Adulterated Iftar items have flooded the markets, especially in the Sylhet City, causing health hazards to those who are fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.
Owners of the Iftar shops are doing brisk business not only in the rural haats and bazaars, but also in different road-crossing points and the city since the beginning of Ramadan.
There is a heavy rush of devotees in these shops throughout the district and in different points of the city.
With the beginning of the holy month the roads and pavements of the city and different upazila headquarters have become crowded with the vendors for selling various Iftar items.
In the afternoon, scores of people mainly those who are fasting seen crowded the roadside shops. The sale starts much ahead of the Iftar time. Though most of the Iftar are adulterated as well as are being sold in an unhygienic condition. They are preparing and selling various kinds of Iftar items like jilaphi, bundias, muri, different kinds of sweetmeats, Piaju, vegetable chop, potato chop, chhola, beguni etc.
The fruit shops owners are found selling different kinds of fruits mixed with formalin.
A Khalik a buyer of Rajgonj bazaar in Kanaighat alleged that most of the roadside vendors are selling sub-standard adulterated Iftar items and earning more profit by charging exorbitant prices from the buyers.
The owners of different Iftar shops are reportedly mixing colour with various kinds of items such beguni, potato chop, vegetable chop, Piaju, and jilaphi to make these attractive to allure buyers, it is widely alleged. It is alleged that urea is being used for making muri (puffed rice) and edible oil used for preparing Iftar items is also adulterated. One kilogram of date is being sold at Tk 120 to Tk 150. High quality of date is being sold at Tk 200 to Tk 400.
Prices of puffed rice is Tk 40 to Tk 50 per kilogram. Piaju is being sold at Tk 2 to Tk 3 per piece; Tk 2 per piece of Beguni is also being sold in the market, whereas one kg of muri is being sold at Tk 70 to Tk 100. One kg of jilaphi is being sold at Tk 120 to Tk 120 while it was available at Tk 80 to Tk 100 per kg.
By eating colour mixed adulterated Iftar items, many people have reportedly fallen sick. Most of them are attacked with diarrhoea, dysentery and other intestinal diseases.
It is further alleged that some traders are also using impure and adulterated soya bean oil and are also seen using earlier used and burnt soya bean oil again and again to prepare their items for the Iftar purposes.
Sylhet Civil Surgeon Dr Himansgshu Lal Ray said that the consumption of such adulterated and sub-standard Iftar items made with chemical and artificial colour may cause diseases which may even endanger the lives of the people who fast.
Adulterated Iftar items have flooded the markets, especially in the Sylhet City, causing health hazards to those who are fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.
Owners of the Iftar shops are doing brisk business not only in the rural haats and bazaars, but also in different road-crossing points and the city since the beginning of Ramadan.
There is a heavy rush of devotees in these shops throughout the district and in different points of the city.
With the beginning of the holy month the roads and pavements of the city and different upazila headquarters have become crowded with the vendors for selling various Iftar items.
In the afternoon, scores of people mainly those who are fasting seen crowded the roadside shops. The sale starts much ahead of the Iftar time. Though most of the Iftar are adulterated as well as are being sold in an unhygienic condition. They are preparing and selling various kinds of Iftar items like jilaphi, bundias, muri, different kinds of sweetmeats, Piaju, vegetable chop, potato chop, chhola, beguni etc.
The fruit shops owners are found selling different kinds of fruits mixed with formalin.
A Khalik a buyer of Rajgonj bazaar in Kanaighat alleged that most of the roadside vendors are selling sub-standard adulterated Iftar items and earning more profit by charging exorbitant prices from the buyers.
The owners of different Iftar shops are reportedly mixing colour with various kinds of items such beguni, potato chop, vegetable chop, Piaju, and jilaphi to make these attractive to allure buyers, it is widely alleged. It is alleged that urea is being used for making muri (puffed rice) and edible oil used for preparing Iftar items is also adulterated. One kilogram of date is being sold at Tk 120 to Tk 150. High quality of date is being sold at Tk 200 to Tk 400.
Prices of puffed rice is Tk 40 to Tk 50 per kilogram. Piaju is being sold at Tk 2 to Tk 3 per piece; Tk 2 per piece of Beguni is also being sold in the market, whereas one kg of muri is being sold at Tk 70 to Tk 100. One kg of jilaphi is being sold at Tk 120 to Tk 120 while it was available at Tk 80 to Tk 100 per kg.
By eating colour mixed adulterated Iftar items, many people have reportedly fallen sick. Most of them are attacked with diarrhoea, dysentery and other intestinal diseases.
It is further alleged that some traders are also using impure and adulterated soya bean oil and are also seen using earlier used and burnt soya bean oil again and again to prepare their items for the Iftar purposes.
Sylhet Civil Surgeon Dr Himansgshu Lal Ray said that the consumption of such adulterated and sub-standard Iftar items made with chemical and artificial colour may cause diseases which may even endanger the lives of the people who fast.
