Millers for Nutrition, a coalition powered by TechnoServe, hosted Bangladesh Country Conclave 2026 in Dhaka, bringing together government, industry, development and academic stakeholders to strengthen collaboration on food fortification and improved access to safe, fortified foods in Bangladesh.
The conclave focused on public-private collaboration to advance food fortification, improve food safety compliance and promote innovative technologies, including automation, in the food processing sector. Discussions also covered regulatory and industry challenges, technical support mechanisms, Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) and sustainable fortification practices.
Md Guljer Ahmmed, country program manager of TechnoServe Bangladesh, welcomed participants and stressed collective action and stronger industry engagement to expand access to fortified foods. Special guest Md Jamal Hossain, additional director general of the Directorate General of Food (DG Food), highlighted the role of fortified staples in eradicating malnutrition. Chief guest M. Jashim Uddin Khan, director general of DG Food, underlined fortified food production, stronger industry compliance and coordinated multi-stakeholder collaboration.
In a technical presentation on the automation of fortified rice blending systems, Prof. Dr. Md. Rostom Ali demonstrated the prototype and its future potential to minimize manual efforts currently practiced by millers.
Mr Zakir Ibne Hai, ED & COO of ACI Foods & Beverage, said ACI remains committed to scaling up its food fortification initiative and appreciated Millers for Nutrition’s support in expanding its activities. Md Moin Uddin Masud, organizing secretary of the Bangladesh Fortified Rice Mill Association, stressed private sector leadership, stronger miller engagement and continued technical support. Sharing practical experience on FSMS implementation, Md Kamal Uddin highlighted the role of strengthened food safety systems in improving compliance and consumer confidence, while Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shoeb, member (Food Industry and Production) of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), outlined key regulatory priorities and strategic actions needed to strengthen Bangladesh’s food fortification ecosystem.
In the closing session, Monojit Indra, program leader (Asia), Millers for Nutrition, TechnoServe, emphasized the future vision of the initiative, focusing on sustained collaboration, industry participation and scaling up food fortification interventions across Bangladesh.
The conclave brought together representatives from the Directorate General of Food (DG Food), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Food Planning and Monitoring Unit, Department of Women Affairs (DWA), universities across Bangladesh, development organizations and millers associations, as well as leading food industries and fortified rice kernel (FRK) manufacturers. Strategic fortification partners of the Millers for Nutrition initiative — BASF, Hexagon Nutrition and Bühler — alongside development partners including World Food Program (WFP), Nutrition International (NI), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and National Heart Foundation shared technical insights and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting food fortification initiatives in Bangladesh.
The conclave highlighted food fortification as a key strategy for improving nutrition and public health in Bangladesh through stronger public-private collaboration, improved food safety practices and greater adoption of automation, AI and technical support. The event concluded with a collective commitment to strengthen partnerships, regulatory compliance and sustainable fortification initiatives across the country.