Pabna:Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has issued directives for stringent legal measures against individuals involved in milk adulteration, highlighting it as a grave threat to public health and an abhorrent crime.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Minister Muktadir emphasized the irreplaceable role of milk in children's nutrition and decried the health risks posed by its adulteration. He stressed the necessity of zero tolerance for such activities during a virtual meeting focused on preventing milk adulteration, held at the conference room of the Pabna Deputy Commissioner's Office. The event was attended by dairy farmers, producers, suppliers, and traders.
The district administration, supported by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), organized the meeting to discuss strategies for ensuring the quality and safety of milk. The minister noted Pabna's significant contribution to the country's dairy production and expressed concern over recent reports of milk adulteration in the district.
Minister Muktadir urged the DNCRP, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, and district administration to enhance field-level monitoring and conduct regular inspections to combat adulteration. He called for coordinated efforts involving government agencies, dairy farmers, suppliers, traders, and the public to ensure the supply of safe milk.
Commerce Ministry Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan, speaking as a special guest, announced plans for training programs at milk chilling centers in Pabna to ensure milk quality. He underscored the importance of raising awareness throughout the milk supply chain.
DNCRP Director General Md Zahirul Islam reported that during his inspections at PRAN Group's chilling center in Chatmohar and Faruk Chilling Centre in Atghoria, milk from five companies was rejected due to substandard quality. The DNCRP chief has instructed the Chatmohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer to identify and take action against the suppliers involved.
Pabna Deputy Commissioner Aminul Islam, who presided over the meeting, reiterated the district's prominence in dairy production and called for sustained efforts to protect the reputation of honest dairy farmers. He advocated for the establishment of a permanent laboratory in Pabna for milk quality testing and adulteration detection.
Participants, including district livestock officials, upazila nirbahi officers, and representatives from various organizations, emphasized the need for effective monitoring, stakeholder training, and public awareness to prevent milk adulteration.