Locally-produced beverages are completely safe

The beverages Bangladeshi companies produce are completely safe, as those were manufactured following the standards set by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), a platform of local beverage manufacturers' said.

“And the energy drinks the 11 member companies of Bangladesh Beverage Manufacturers' Association (BBMA) produce are actually soft drinks and do not contain any harmful caffeine.”

Harunur Rashid, president of the BBMA, shared the information at a press meet at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka yesterday.

The event was organised at a time when the BSTI and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) have decided to ban the production, marketing and import of energy drinks in the name of carbonated beverages with immediate effect.

“We should have faith in the BSTI as it is the only organisation to be controlling the standard and quality of goods,” the association said in a statement. “The BBMA welcomes this decision by the BSTI in consideration of public interest. The BFSA's step regarding the issue is also praiseworthy.”

“If an energy drink is identified based on every 250 millilitre of it containing over 37 milligrammes of caffeine, all of the beverages we produce have caffeine lower than the limit,” Rashid claimed at the press meet.

A misconception has come to light in recent times that the locally produced energy drinks are harmful for health, he said.

The production of poor quality drinks by non-member companies of the association is actually to blame for the misconception, he said.

“It is also not possible to control the standard of the imported energy drinks. We also have no idea about the quality and amount of caffeine the imported drinks contain.”

The BSTI should go for technology upgrade to maintain the standards of such drinks, he said.

The country has a good prospect for carbonated drinks, he said, adding that they have the ability to launch new types of soft drinks in the next 5 to 10 years. Sheikh Shamim Uddin, general secretary of the BBMA, and Shamima Akther, director for public affairs and communication at Coca-Cola Bangladesh, also spoke.