Dhaka:The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) levied fines totaling more than Tk 1 crore (Tk 1,00,65,000) on various food establishments nationwide in September, as per the Safe Food Act, 2013. The agency also filed 44 cases through mobile courts and enforcement drives.
According to United News of Bangladesh, BFSA monitored 1,307 food establishments during the month and issued health certificates for three export-quality products. In Dhaka's metropolitan area, BFSA conducted 26 enforcement drives under the law, fining 12 establishments a total of Tk 16 lakh and filing 14 cases.
Common violations included operating without mandatory registration, preparing food in unhygienic conditions, and storing unlabelled fish, meat, and other items improperly. Many establishments also failed to display required trade licences and health certificates for food workers.
Outside of Dhaka, BFSA raided 28 establishments in various districts, uncovering offences such as making chanachur by trampling it underfoot, using burnt oil and unauthorized chemical colors, and finding cockroaches and bedbugs at production sites. For these violations, fines totaling Tk 45.70 lakh were imposed and 30 cases were filed.
Additionally, 31 establishments were fined Tk 38.95 lakh through summary trials conducted by the judge of the Pure Food Court and a metropolitan magistrate.
In total, BFSA carried out 71 drives in September, imposing fines of over Tk 1 crore and filing 44 cases. The agency has increased its monitoring of food establishments by inspecting markets, hotels, restaurants, bakeries, sweet shops, and food production and processing facilities. These inspections ensure compliance with food safety rules in production, storage, serving, processing, and marketing.
BFSA is also conducting campaigns to raise public awareness about safe food consumption, hygienic production and marketing, and consumer responsibilities.