Salim Moshiur, Cumilla (South)

Due to the lack of anti-adulteration campaigns across the markets of Laksam Upazila in the southern part of Cumilla, adulterated goods traders are continuing their business of various products.

Unscrupulous business syndicates have become active, as a result of which people of all professions in the region are being cheated by using various adulterated products and are suffering from various complex diseases. In addition, substandard products are being sold freely in this region. The trend of adulteration in food has recently taken a terrible and multidimensional shape in the markets in some areas. The real word is currently on the verge of exile due to the evil violence of counterfeiting and adulteration. Most of the food products consumed in this region are adulterated. There is no food product that is free from the clutches of counterfeiting and adulteration. There are several modern food laboratories and training in the country.

The organizations tested 2,099 food product samples from 2020 to 2024 and found adulteration in 18 food products, while the annual reports of several private organizations show that 100% of food products are adulterated. In this region, genuine certificates can be obtained by paying money for the production of adulterated food. Especially due to the pocket trading of the municipality and upazila sanitary inspectors, these unscrupulous traders are running rampant.

Multiple sources of local victims said that there are now markets for buying and selling adulterated products everywhere in the 5 upazilas of the district. Adulterated products can be found in all the small and big markets and alleys. Since the anti-adulteration campaign has not started for mysterious reasons during the ongoing Corona period, the common people who consume it have raised various questions about the role of the local administration. Even though 1/2 campaigns have been conducted from time to time, it has been largely fruitless. Although the concerned administrations have made the excuse of manpower shortage in this regard, the local people say otherwise. Especially in this region, it seems that there is no one to prevent these immoralities. In the weak legal process, there is not much punishment for producing substandard or adulterated products.

In addition, there are many complaints in the public mind of the area about the mysterious silent role of the quality control agencies. Several government agencies collect samples of food products and then issue certificates of 100% authenticity in exchange for money. Many food product samples are not even tested. Those unscrupulous traders are getting authenticity certificates without testing in private bargaining. However, several lakhs of people in this region are constantly suffering from various diseases due to adulterated food poisoning. The number of patients suffering from various diseases including diarrhea in government and private hospitals has been increasing in the last 10 days. The sources also said that even after the local administration of the upazilas in the southern part of the district has been empowered, people's suspicion and distrust towards them is increasing day by day.

All the products in all the markets of the upazilas are adulterated. The picture in the urban areas is more terrible than in the rural areas. Especially rice shops, grocery stores, hotels-restaurants, fast food, bakeries, pharmacies, fertilizer-seed shops, water jars, fruits, semai, baby food, powdered milk, turmeric, chili, spices, ice cream and sweet manufacturing factories, clothing stores, cosmetics, dry goods stores, fish shops, meat shops and various food manufacturing factories are at the top of adulterated products. In addition, in this region, illegal dredging business, sawmills, rice mills, brickfields, fish farms, chicken farms, feed businesses, and forcibly occupying government assets are among the development activities of various sectors. Especially, a person weighing 70/80 kg can easily be overcome by various viruses including corona virus, SARS, plague and dengue. Therefore, how weak are ordinary people to nature? Adulterated food is an easy way to lead people to the risk of death. People of all professions in this region are swallowing those inedible and bad foods on faith. Various deadly products including saccharin, soda, chemical powder, dyes, toxic chemicals are being mixed with various food products. Again, most of the products are expired and of poor quality.

On the other hand, dead chickens are being sold openly in hotels and dead and sick cows and goats are being slaughtered in slaughterhouses. Again, traders are cheating the buyers by giving less than the weight of each product. Hair-raising information can be found by visiting various pharmacies. Expired, low-quality and Indian adulterated medicines of various kinds are being sold in the pharmacies of the five upazilas. Many of the pharmacy owners do not have any experience certificates and valid documents.

Training certificates are being sold behind the scenes of this pharmacy syndicate. In a word, adulterated products are reigning everywhere in the upazilas.

In this regard, a member of the medical board of a local private hospital said that buyers are not only being cheated by buying fake and adulterated products but are also facing serious health risks by using them. Especially, the risk of suffering from serious and complex diseases including cancer, kidney and liver in the human body is increasing.

Food adulteration is undoubtedly a serious crime. But there is considerable controversy over the implementation of the current law. In the current year, a survey by a private organization in the country showed that out of 5,396 samples of 43 food products, 2,147 showed evidence of serious adulteration, he said. Although the government has made CM certificate mandatory for 155 products, no one is complying with it.

A minimum fine of 7,000 taka and a maximum fine of 1 lakh taka have been made for the production, storage and marketing of such products, along with a 4-year imprisonment. Multiple sources in the local administration said that legal action will definitely be taken against the accused.