Dhaka:Food Minister Afroza Khanam today emphasized the importance of bolstering public-private partnerships (PPP) to ensure the provision of safe, nutritious, and quality food for all citizens.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Afroza Khanam highlighted that food is a fundamental human need and right, noting the state's constitutional responsibility to meet citizens' basic needs. She stated that the government is committed to ensuring safe and nutritious food for everyone in the country.
The minister made these remarks as the chief guest at a seminar titled "Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships for Fortification in Bangladesh," organized by the Fortification Alliance of Bangladesh (FAB) at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) conference room in the capital's Farmgate area.
Afroza Khanam further stressed the necessity of modernizing the country's food system to address public health needs, particularly those of vulnerable groups such as women and children. She advocated for expanding food fortification programs by adding essential vitamins and minerals, emphasizing the role of effective coordination among relevant organizations, increased public awareness, and practical planning.
She also mentioned the government's ongoing initiatives to ensure food and nutrition security, highlighting the need to broaden the collaboration between public and private sectors for enhanced effectiveness.
State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, speaking as a special guest, suggested that coordination and implementation would be streamlined if the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, and the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) were integrated under the Ministry of Food.
The seminar featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Tahmid Ahmed and a panel discussion with participants including Director General of the Directorate General of Food Md. Jashim Uddin Khan, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority member Anwarul Islam, Tanvir Ahmed, Md Osman Haruni, Faria Shabnam, and Zakir Ibn Hai.