The country's first 'Food and Chemical Lab Expo 2022' is going to kick off today (Sunday) in the city aiming to evaluate the testing and accreditation capacity of the country's labs, organisers said at a press meet on Saturday.
A total of 44 government and private testing labs and machinery suppliers are set to showcase their technology and capacity in the day-long event, said the officials at the press briefing, organised jointly by the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and USDA's Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project in the city.
The expo is first of its kind to be held under the joint initiative of BFSA and BTF Project.
Chairman of BFSA Md Abdul Kayowm Sarker said the key objective of the exhibition is to highlight the capabilities of the country's food and chemical products laboratory network as well as earn people's trust and ensure safe food for all.
Sarkar said 38 public and private laboratories, six equipment suppliers are participating in the day-long exhibition.
A discussion session on 'The role of accredited laboratories to boost international trade by ensuring the safety of food products' will also be held on the sidelines of the exhibition.
He said the academia would speak on laboratories' contribution to food safety management, opportunities for commercial laboratories in food safety and trade, and international standards and best practices for food safety management.
He said the exhibition would create an activity network involving public and private laboratories so that they could play a more active role in managing safety of food products both for local and international customers.
BTF Director Michael J Parr said they were facilitating local laboratories so that they could raise capacity as well as could play a role in accelerating the international trade of food products.
Member of BFSA Rezaul Karim and BTF Technical Consultant Quamrun Nahar also spoke among others.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar is likely to inaugurate the expo which will start at 10:00 am and will continue until 6:00 pm.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com