The speakers at a human chain in Dhaka Wednesday called for enacting law to stop abuse of formalin in food items as preservative.
They also urged the government to take steps to import the chemical through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry organised the event at Malibagh rail gate kichen market to protest uncontrolled sale and widespread use of formalin in foods.
Former caretaker government adviser Advocate Sultana Kamal, Dhaka University’s vice chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, FBCCI vice president Helal Uddin, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Syeda Rizwana Hasan and actress Rokeya Prachi participated in the event.
Besides, as part of protest, the city’s nine “formalin-free” kitchen markets went into a 15-munite closure from 12 noon.
In Bangladesh, formalin is regularly found in perishable food items including fishes, vegetables and fruits, leading harmful effects on the public health.
“Like Acid Crime Control Act, there should be a law to control abuse of formalin which is like a poison for human health,” said Advocate Sultana Kamal, former adviser to caretaker government.
Sultana Kamal urged the government to import formalin only through TCB and stop trading of formalin in the open market.
AAMS Arefin Siddique: “As most of foods are contaminated with formalin, we are forced to consume them.”
Along with taking punitive actions, he stressed the need the make traders aware of harmful effects of formalin use in foods.
FBCCI vice-president also laid emphasis on having a law with 10-year imprisonment to control abuse of formalin.
“Through providing formalin-dehydrate machines only, the practice cannot be stopped. We need to have a law to stop sale of formalin in open market,” he said.
