State Minister for Food Md. Abdul Bari . File photo

SANGSAD BHABAN, July 9, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Food Md. Abdul Bari today said the government has been implementing a series of effective 
measures to curb food adulteration and ensure safe food for consumers across the country.

"Since the present government assumed office, the Bangladesh Food SafetyAuthority (BFSA) has undertaken and implemented a wide range of initiatives 
between February and May 2026 to prevent the sale of adulterated food and ensure food safety," he told the House.

The minister was replying to a written question from treasury bench member Md. Mostafizur Rahman Babul (Jamalpur-3).

With Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir-Bikram, in the chair, he said the BFSA, a statutory body under the Ministry of Food, has been carrying out regular 
market inspections, conducting mobile court drives, collecting food samples and testing those samples at government-approved public and private 
laboratories under the Safe Food Act, 2013.

Abdul Bari said a total of 3,340 food handlers involved in the production, marketing and distribution of geographically and economically important food 
items, including mangoes, dried fish and date molasses, have been trained on food safety.

To raise public awareness, the BFSA organised 15 seminars, workshops and awareness programmes, alongside awareness campaigns at 94 general and madrasa 
educational institutions, involving 9,400 students, he added.

The minister said BFSA officials from its headquarters as well as district and metropolitan offices conducted inspections at 6,444 food establishments and markets to prevent food adulteration.

He said 670 food samples were tested at government-approved laboratories, while 3,574 samples were examined through mobile laboratories and 4,938 samples through mini laboratories for instant testing.

"To enforce the law, 171 mobile courts were conducted under the Safe Food Act, 2013 to ensure food safety and curb adulteration," he informed the House.

Abdul Bari also said 51 courtyard meetings involving 2,390 homemakers were organised to increase public awareness about safe food practices.

In addition, four television advertisements produced by the BFSA on food safety were broadcast for a total of 224 minutes on different government and private television channels.

The state minister further said 22 public awareness notices on issues such as adulteration of lentils, harmful hydrogen chemicals in food, hazardous 
chemicals in molasses and the health risks of excessive consumption of fried foods were published in 69 national newspapers to create awareness among 
consumers and food business operators.