Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said on Tuesday the government will set up a testing laboratory in Narayanganj for determining the quality of food and issuing certificates without any hassle.
"It will be the largest food-testing lab in Asia, funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)," he said while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on 'food safety law 2013' organised by Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) at a city hotel.
Besides, he said, eight modern testing labs are being constructed in eight divisional cities which could ensure safe food for all across the country.
The government is now giving outmost priority to nutritious and safe food which is imperative to create a healthy, strong and hardworking population, he added.
To ensure safe food, the minister said, the government has been taking initiatives to produce, process, store and market nutritious food.
He also said the testing laboratory is being constructed in Narayanganj which will make it easier determining the quality of food and issuing certificates.
Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Chairman Md Abdul Qayum Sarker presided over the programme. Food secretary Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum, Director of Channel i Shykh Seraj, and President of Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association Imran Hasan also spoke on the occasion.
Dr Md Iqbal Rauf Mamun, a chemistry professor at Dhaka University, presented a keynote paper at the seminar.
The food secretary said work for ensuring safe food has been progressing gradually. The construction work of eight testing labs in the divisional cities is going on in full swing, she added.
"All stakeholders involved in food production and food management will be trained and extensive programmes have been incorporated to build public awareness at field level. If these projects are implemented, consumers could get safe food easily," she said.
Mr Seraj called for inclusion of safe food learning in primary education curriculum.
He requested the ministries concerned (agriculture, food, fisheries and livestock) to make joint efforts for raising awareness at producer level to avoid indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
The BFSA chairman said the media could play an effective role in creating awareness among the people about food security, food safety as well as rules and regulations.
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