'Unsafe' Pasteurised Milk: HC asks govt to form expert committee

The High Court yesterday directed the government to form an expert committee to test the pasteurised milk available in the market and submit a report before it in a month.

The expert committee would include representatives from the food and health ministries, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), and other experts and researchers concerned, the court said.

The HC also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned why their failure to ensure the safety of pasteurised milk should not be declared illegal.

The food and health secretary, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services, director general of BSTI, executive director of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) and the inspector general of police have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Tanvir Ahmed.

Filing the petition with the HC on May 20, the lawyer sought directives on the respondents concerned to form an independent inquiry committee, including experts and researchers, to examine the pasteurised milk and submit a report to the court.

Citing a report, the petitioner said 75 percent of the pasteurised milk was reportedly unsafe and, therefore, it should be examined.

A report published on April 24 in the International Journal of Food Microbiology said a high level of bacteria made direct consumption of such milk unsafe.

The level of bacteria was not consistent with the standards set by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, said the study.

It suggested that Bangladesh's dairy companies ensure end-to-end compliance.