Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has categorically said the government's stern actions against those involved with food adulteration would continue in future to safeguard the public health.
She said activities including adulteration of the food items that are going against the consumers' interest have been declining gradually due to strict measures already taken by the government, reports BSS.
Replying to a tabled question raised by treasury bench member Enamul Haque, the prime minister informed the House that her government has taken various pragmatic measures to ensure quality control of consumer goods and keep people away from the adulterated foods.
In this regard, she said her government has formulated the Consumer Rights Protection Law, 2009, established National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, contained formalin import, taken steps to formulate Formalin Control Law, 2013 and expedited market monitoring along with conducting mass campaign against the social menaces.
Giving details, she said that lawful actions had been taken against the perpetrators who are involved in adulterating food items by mixing toxic chemical including formalin under the existing Consumer Rights Protection Law, 2009.
She informed the House that the Formalin Control Law is being formulated keeping provisions of maximum life-term and minimum seven years' imprisonment along with the highest Tk20 lakh as fine for production, import, transportation and sale of formalin without valid license.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said the authorities concerned have been monitoring markets everyday across the country to this end. Besides, the government has procured Digital Formaldehide Meter to identify the chemical in consumer items, she added.
Apart from this, the prime minister said executive magistrates have been conducting mobile courts under Consumer Rights Law, 2009 against food adulteration across the country.
So far, they have conducted 1,702 mobile courts realising fines at nearly Tk1.24 lakh from 2,833 business establishments and putting 17 persons in jail on different terms during the period, she said.
