News Flash
SANGSAD BHABAN, July 14, 2026 (BSS) – State Minister for Food Md. Abdul Bari today said the government has undertaken an initiative to introduce mobile laboratory vans in all 64 districts to rapidly detect food adulteration and ensure safe food for consumers across the country.
“Each van will be equipped with a mini laboratory, enabling instant testing of food samples at markets in districts, upazilas and rural areas,” he told parliament while replying to a call attention notice on matters of urgent public importance raised under Rule 71 by treasury bench member Rafiqul Islam Jamal (Jhalakathi-1).
The state minister said ensuring safe food production, processing and marketing has been given national priority in line with the government’s election manifesto.
He said the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), the departments of agriculture, fisheries and health, district and upazila administrations, local government institutions and law enforcement agencies are jointly conducting regular drives against food adulteration to protect public health.
Abdul Bari said strict legal action is being taken against adulterated food under the Penal Code, the Food Safety Act-2013, the Consumer Rights Protection Act-2009, the BSTI Act-2018 and the Special Powers Act-1974.
He said the Special Powers Act provides for the death penalty, life imprisonment or up to 14 years’ rigorous imprisonment for producing or marketing poisonous or adulterated food.
The state minister informed the House that the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority has already established 72 mini laboratories in 64 district and eight divisional offices.
“Over the last five months, these laboratories tested 6,795 food samples, while examinations of around 19,700 samples are underway during the current year,” he added.
He said eight mobile laboratory vans are currently operating in the country’s eight divisional cities, providing on-the-spot testing of milk, ghee, vegetables and other food items for adulteration.
“To expand the service nationwide, the government will procure 64 additional mobile laboratory vans, one for each district,” he added.
The state minister also said a project has been undertaken to establish a central reference laboratory in Dhaka and two divisional laboratories in Chattogram and Khulna to strengthen food testing capacity.
He said public awareness campaigns on safe food are being carried out through television, radio and social media, while five sets of regulations are being formulated to further strengthen the food safety framework.
Abdul Bari said arrangements have also been made to examine all imported food products at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Chattogram Port, Mongla Port and Benapole Land Port.
During the supplementary question, Rafiqul Islam Jamal pointed out that the lack of modern food testing equipment at the field level often hampers the effectiveness of mobile courts and urged the government to enhance laboratory facilities in Jhalakathi and across the country.
In reply, the state minister said mini laboratories have already been established in all 64 districts, including Jhalakathi, and their capacity is being further enhanced.
He said once the proposed 64 mobile laboratory vans become operational, instant food testing will also be possible at the upazila and village levels.
The state minister further informed the House that, following the Prime Minister’s directive, a high-level committee has been formed to strengthen food safety and anti-adulteration activities.
The committee’s recommendations will be implemented to make the country’s food safety system more effective.
