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An advocacy meeting was convened in the Kishoreganj district of Bangladesh to address the critical issue of unsafe drums used in the purchase and distribution of edible oils. The session, held at the District Public Library auditorium on Thursday morning at 10:30 am, was organized by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) in partnership with the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.
The meeting focused on implementing strategic measures to halt the use of hazardous storage drums, with the aim of bolstering food safety and safeguarding public health. Significant emphasis was placed on the cooperative role required from local administration, public representatives, and business leaders to facilitate the phased elimination of these non-compliant containers.
Distinguished attendees included Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Chowdhury, Head of Pathology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital; Mushtaq Hasan Mohammad Iftikhar, Founding Chairman of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority; and Dr. Mashuk Shahriar, Project Officer at the National Heart Foundation. They were joined by Alam Sarwar Titu, President of the Shuvo Consumers Association Kishoreganj branch, and General Secretary Monowar Hossain Roni, alongside a diverse group of educators, journalists, and industry stakeholders.
Speakers highlighted a concerning market trend where consumers purchase bulk or 'open' cooking oil to reduce household expenses, often unaware of the contamination risks posed by unsafe storage drums. The experts cautioned that oil stored and sold in such substandard conditions presents severe long-term health risks and significantly increases the likelihood of chronic diseases.
In their concluding statements, the delegation urged consumers to exercise greater caution when purchasing unbranded oil. They called for a unified effort between the government and the private sector to ensure the complete removal of unsafe drums from the supply chain, prioritizing a transition to safer, regulated storage standards to ensure a healthy food supply for the population.
Source: dailycountrytodaybd.com