Draft food safety law has some loopholes

Resisting food adulteration will be a difficult task as there are some loopholes in the draft food safety law, said speakers at a programme in the capital yesterday.
"The draft of the food safety act ensures legal actions against only the people who produce lethal food items,” said Supreme Court lawyer Abu Raihan M Khalid.
“Won't any actions be taken against those producing unhygienic food items unless these cause death to people?" he said.
In the act, there is no guideline about setting up of new laboratories for examining nutritional value of food items, he added.
Khalid was speaking at a roundtable discussion on “Food Safety Act-2013” jointly organised by the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) and ActionAid at Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
Bangladesh Jatiya Sramik Jote President Shirin Akhter said, "The food safety act lacks a clear definition of food and nutrition."
The act should clearly state legal actions against the people who sell adulterated and unhygienic items in local, international and corporate markets, said ActionAid Country Director Farah Kabir.
Apart from curbing adulteration, emphasis should also be given on accessibility and affordability of food, she said.
The food ministry has prepared the draft law which is awaiting approval in the parliament.