Mymensingh: A workshop on ‘Large-Scale Food Fortification in Bangladesh’ was jointly organized today by the Professor Muhammad Hossain Central Laboratory (PMHCL) of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). The event took place at 11 am in the Faculty of Agriculture Conference Room at BAU.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the workshop was presided over by Professor Dr. Md. Amir Hossain, Director of the PMHCL, and was attended by BAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A.K. Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan as the chief guest. In his speech, the chief guest expressed BAU’s readiness to collaborate with GAIN to enhance food security on a large scale and expand cooperation among stakeholders in Bangladesh. He emphasized the role of the initiative in building a healthy nation.
In addition, Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid, Director of the SAARC Agriculture Centre, and Dr. Rudaba Khondker, Country Director of GAIN Bangladesh, were present as special guests. Professor Dr. Mohammad Shoeb, Member of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, presented the keynote paper on ‘Large-Scale Food Fortification in Bangladesh and Expansion of Cooperation among Stakeholders’. Another presentation on ‘Food Fortification Management in Other Countries’ was delivered by Md. Abul Bashar Chowdhury, Project Manager at GAIN.
The workshop also included a welcome address from Professor Dr. Mohammad Golzarul Aziz of the Department of Food Technology and Rural Industries, with Professor Dr. Md. Mahmudul Alam, Associate Director of the PMHCL, moderating the session. Discussions focused on the feasibility study for establishing a food fortification center in Bangladesh as part of the national food fortification initiative.
Topics covered in the workshop included drafting strategies, implementing food quality control, market monitoring, developing modern food fortification programmes according to national needs, conducting training sessions, and enhancing laboratory facilities. Additionally, the workshop highlighted the importance of motivating small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to produce nutrition-enriched food to help eliminate malnutrition-related diseases.