Govt moves to enforce HC ban order
The government has taken steps to enforce the High Court (HC) order on stopping sale and display of all the eight brands of powdered milk "contaminated with melamine".
Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) will issue a public notice in this regard for the police and the departments concerned to implement the order, while committees will be formed at district levels to monitor the markets.
A high-level meeting on melamine in milk held at the secretariat with Health and Food Adviser AMM Shawkat Ali in the chair took the decision yesterday.
The government took the decision prior to receiving the certified copy of the HC order.
Meanwhile the results of the eight brands of powdered milk sent to FAO in Bangkok for investigation are expected to arrive in three to four days, an official handout said yesterday.
In another development, the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) counsel Manzil Murshid yesterday sent a legal notice to the secretaries of the ministries of home, commerce, health and inspector general of police (IGP).
The notice said that despite the wide media publicity of the High Court ban, the government has not taken any effective steps to comply with the order. The notice further said that a charge of contempt of court would be filed against the respondents if they fail to take steps to comply with the court order immediately.
The HC issued the order in response to a petition filed by HRPB after toxic melamine was found to be present in eight commercial powdered milk brands -- Nido fortified instant, Red Cow, Yashili 1, Yashili 2, Sweet Baby, Diploma, Anlene and Dano.
The government has, meanwhile, decided to conduct tests to check for the presence of melamine in food products other than milk.
The government departments concerned, including BSTI, will take necessary measures in this regard.
The ministry meeting has also decided to strengthen campaigns in the country for breastfeeding children up to six months of age.
Mahbub Jamil, special assistant to the adviser for industries, Health Secretary AMM Nasiruddin, Home Secretary Abdul Karim, Industries Secretary Sheikh Enayet Ullah, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, BSTI Director General Azmal Hossain, health directorate's Director General Prof Dr MA Fayez also were present at the meeting.
The affected companies have decided to not take up a legal battle regarding the ban.
"We have discussed the situation. Our lawyers have advised us to wait for the test results from Bangkok," SA Mallick, managing director of New Zealand Dairy Products Bangladesh Ltd, said.
The company markets Anlene, Red Cow and Diploma.
Mallick also said that they have already stopped distribution of the products and directed the retailers to remove the banned products from shelves.
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