Food is a fundamental human right. But if that food unknowingly becomes a reason for poisoning the human body, then it is not just a matter of market or trade - it becomes a major public health crisis. Rice is not just a food product in Bangladesh, it is the daily staple food of millions of people. As a result, any kind of negligence regarding the quality, safety and production process of rice is directly related to people's lives.
New questions have been raised about the decision to import 50,000 metric tons of white rice from Pakistan during the tenure of the interim government. At a price of about $395 per ton, Bangladesh will spend more than Tk 2.41 billion on importing this rice. Importing rice to address food shortages or to stabilize the market is nothing new for Bangladesh. Earlier, rice came from various countries including India, Myanmar, and Vietnam. But this time the controversy has arisen for a different reason. Why was the decision to import the same Pakistani rice that the European Union (EU) has rejected due to excessive pesticides and harmful ingredients into Bangladesh?
If a rice is considered risky for humans under Europe’s strict food safety standards, how safe is it for the people of Bangladesh? Are Bangladesh’s food safety standards so weak that rejected products can easily enter the international market? Or is the public health risk being ignored because of low prices?
Europe’s concern: What was found in Pakistani rice?
The European Union’s food safety system is one of the strictest in the world. If harmful chemicals are found in a food product, it is not only viewed with caution, but if necessary, the entire shipment is rejected. The presence of excessive pesticides was behind the rejection of several Pakistani rice shipments recently.
According to the report, concerns have been raised about the levels of chemicals such as tricyclazole, clothianidin and neonicotinoids in Pakistani basmati and regular rice. The use of these pesticides is strictly regulated or banned under European food safety policies. In addition, some samples have also revealed the presence of aflatoxin, which is a type of harmful fungal substance.
Experts have been warning that food containing excessive pesticides can cause various complications in the human body in the long term. It can especially have a negative effect on the liver and kidneys. Various studies have expressed concerns that consuming such food for a long time can also increase the risk of cancer.
The main question here is - how strictly will the same food products, which developed countries are so careful about, be tested before entering the Bangladeshi market? In the case of food imports in Bangladesh, moisture, the presence of insects, broken rice parts or some other quality issues are usually tested. But how effective is the ability to identify harmful chemicals, heavy metals or ingredients that can create long-term health risks?
Food security vs. market control: How logical is the government's position?
The government usually decides to import rice to control the market and keep supply stable. Import is a natural policy when production in the country is low or prices in the market are high. Ensuring food at low prices for the people is also the responsibility of the government.
But the issue of food security is not limited to reducing prices. A product does not become acceptable if it is cheap. Food enters the human body, so its safety deserves the utmost importance.
Ensuring food security is even more important in a populous country like Bangladesh. Because a large number of people here consume the same staple food every day. As a result, if any low-quality or harmful food product spreads widely, its impact can be widespread.
The question is, will chemical tests be conducted in international standard laboratories before importing Pakistani rice? Will the same reasons that led to the European Union's rejection of rice be verified before entering Bangladesh? Or is the decision being made only by considering the quantity and market price of rice?
When it comes to food imports, Bangladesh should not look only at commercial relations or short-term market benefits. Because once a crisis of trust is created regarding food quality, it can cause great harm to public health in the long run.
Strict monitoring is needed for safe food
It is essential to further enhance the capacity of the relevant institutions to ensure safe food in Bangladesh. Especially in the case of imported food products, modern laboratories, international standard chemical analysis and regular monitoring are required.
Bangladesh must also adopt the same strict standards that European countries follow in the field of food. Because the lives and health of the people of Bangladesh are in no way less important than those of people in other countries.
Getting rice at a low price is certainly a positive thing. But if that rice creates health risks in the future, then the temporary economic benefits can ultimately cause major social and health losses.
Therefore, transparency, scientific testing and public health issues need to be given utmost importance in the decision to import rice from Pakistan. In the name of addressing the food crisis, no product should be accepted that creates a new crisis in human safety.
Because in the end, the question is not just about rice. The question is, what is actually entering the food plates of the people of Bangladesh?