Qamrul slams media for 'false stories'
Pictures of wheat infested with insects published in some newspapers are not of wheat imported from Brazil, Food Minister Qamrul Islam told the parliament yesterday.
He criticised a section of the media for publishing fabricated stories on Brazilian wheat, claiming this was done with a political motive to embarrass the government.
Qamrul Islam made the remarks in response to a query of a lawmaker.
The minister also said the Directorate General of Food imported the wheat and he was not involved.
"Some newspapers are saying Brazilian wheat is substandard. But it has been proven in laboratory tests that the wheat is edible. Brazilian wheat usually looks bad and no one likes it. But the wheat is standard," he added.
Regarding infestation, the minister said food grain stored for a long time without medicine naturally become infested.
Referring to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's remark about "the government importing rotten wheat", Qamrul alleged that Khaleda Zia wanted to make the issue a political one.
He informed the House that some 1.75 lakh tonnes of wheat have already been distributed, while 25,000 tonnes remain in stock. Responding to queries over reports of a lawmaker and police and BGB's refusal to accept the wheat, the minister said the reports were false.
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