Rajshahi Correspondent

Intake of safe food can be the crucial means of maintaining sound health as unsafe dietary habits, particularly excessive consumption of trans fats and salt, are increasing the risk of hypertension related non-communicable diseases and deaths throughout the country.

The risk of various non-communicable diseases including hypertension can be reduced to a great extent by developing healthy eating habits.

Government officials and professional leaders made the observation while addressing the meeting of Rajshahi divisional safe food management coordination committee at the office conference hall of divisional commissioner here today.

With Divisional Commissioner Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir in the chair, the meeting was addressed by Additional Commissioner Tarafder Akhter Jamil, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Faisal Mahmud and Divisional Director of the Department of Health Services Dr Anwarul Kabir.

Divisional Director of the Department of Livestock Services Dr Abdul Hai Sarker, Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension Mahmudul Faruque, Divisional Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries Abdul Wahed Mondal and BSTI Regional Director Jahura Shikder also spoke.

Yamin Hossain, Safe Food Officer of the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority, moderated the discussion.

The meeting was told that all quarters who are engaged in producing, manufacturing, processing and marketing of food should discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty to reach safe food to the consumers in general.

Commissioner Dr Humayun Kabir stressed the need for creating mass awareness among all levels of people to check food waste and adulteration.

Dr Anwarul Kabir mentioned that adulterated and contaminated foods always pose a serious threat to the public health and called for taking punitive measures against the food adulteration and contamination so that no more dare to commit such types of crimes.

The existing acts and the law enforcers alone would never be able to salvage the situation unless people from all walks of life became adequately aware about the harms of taking adulterated foods and took firm stand against such immoral mindset.

'We need the people to come forward to stop these harmful practices,' he added.

Dr Abdul Hai Sarker said concerted efforts of all the government and non-government organizations concerned have become indispensable for protecting agriculture from all sorts of pollution and contamination to ensure food safety.

Besides, utmost emphasis should be given on freeing the markets from all sorts of unhygienic and unsafe foods because those are injurious to public health.

All the street food selling shops and hotels should be brought under close monitoring and vigilance to debar them from selling unhygienic and contaminated foods on an urgent basis, he added.

On the occasion, Commissioner Dr Humayun Kabir launched a mobile safe food laboratory to prevent food adulteration. The consumers in general can take services of the laboratory free of cost.