Street food, including iftar items, poses health risks

The health department in Chittagong seems oblivious to the unhygienic conditions under which iftar items such as chhola, piyaju, beguni, alur chop etc. are produced and sold, causing foodborne diseases.

These inexpensive and popular foods are mainly consumed by students and day labourers all over the port city, especially on CDA Avenue, Chawk Bazar, New Market intersection, Anderkilla, Laldighi Par, Chittagong College Road, Jamal Khan Road, Kazir Dewri, Momin Road, Jubilee Road, Cheragi Pahar, MA Aziz Stadium area and Kotwali intersection.

Due to a lack of basic infrastructure, such as water connections, the sanitary quality at these venues may be compromised.

Trapa Chowdhury, a student of Chittagong College who lives in Chawk Bazar, had diarrhoea for two days after having fuchka from a street vendor at Parade Maidan area. Like Trapa, many consume food purchased from street vendors, who lack knowledge on food-handling. The vendors also often do not wash hands between food and money transactions and restroom breaks.

Sanitary and food safety inspectors are appointed under the health department to ensure people's right to safe food, yet the practice of selling unsafe foods are going on at large.

A vendor was seen mixing ice, mint leaves, salt and sugar with his bare hands. He then added water from a container to prepare the drink -- exposed to flies and dust. Vendors usually add artificial colours to the drinks as well to make them appear more attractive.

When asked, Chittagong Civil Surgeon Azizur Rahman Siddique said these colourful drinks are extremely unsafe to drink. “The vendors mix artificial colours, which may damage the kidney and may even cause cancer,” he said.

“There are two aspects to street food safety. First, the foods and drinks are prepared on the streets, and are easily contaminated with germs from the surroundings. Second, the water being used is not safe for consumption, even if it is from a tube-well. It can lead to food poisoning, diarrhoea, jaundice, typhoid and other diseases,” he said.

Contacted, SN Nazer Hossain, vice president of Consumers Association of Bangladesh, said although food safety inspectors are appointed under the DoH, their existence is practically invisible.

“We do not see them conduct any drives against the sale of unsafe foods and drinks,” he said.

M Mujibul Haque, director of the health department, Chittagong, said, “Our food safety inspectors regularly conduct drives in different areas and realise fines from the vendors.”

“But it is true that we cannot control it as they return after a few days. Our drives against unsafe street food will continue,” he added.