Dhaka: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today expressed grave concern over the growing presence of harmful chemicals in food resulting in public health risks, urging all to work together to confront the crisis. “We are aware of the various forms of contamination in food. We must determine how to confront this. Our children, parents, and loved ones are all victims. For our own sake, we must work together to overcome this crisis,” he said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Chief Adviser made the remarks at a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna to address the presence of harmful chemicals in food and to prevent food adulteration. Prof Yunus chaired the meeting, said Chief Adviser’s Press Wing this evening. The meeting discussed in detail foodborne diseases, contamination-related risks, and necessary actions to address this crisis.
On taking immediate actions to prevent food adulteration, the Chief Adviser stated, “We will discuss the implementation aspects and decide which ones are urgent to start now. We will take urgent initiatives in this regard immediately.” He instructed those concerned to submit written proposals on the necessary activities to tackle the food contamination crisis within the next week.
The meeting was attended by several high-profile advisers and officials, including Agriculture and Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder, Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum, and others. The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) presented data showing the severity of the situation, citing reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) about the prevalence of foodborne diseases.
BFSA reported that foodborne diseases affect 60 crore children worldwide and 3 crore children in Bangladesh every year. It identified four types of contaminants in food: heavy metals, pesticide-biocide residues, radioactivity, and bio-contaminants. Data from the last fiscal year showed excessive levels of lead in food samples, with lead detected in 22 out of 180 samples tested.
A joint study by Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Agricultural University, and UMEA Sweden found 300 types of medicines, 200 types of pesticides, and 16 types of PFAS in water and fish samples from different regions. A UNICEF survey revealed that 3.5 crore children in Bangladesh are infected with lead.
BFSA Chairman Zakaria highlighted the impact of lead on children’s health, stating, “Lead enters the human body and accumulates in the brain, liver, kidneys, bones, and teeth. Since children’s bones are soft, lead goes directly to the brain, hindering mental development.” The study also found lead infection in 5 percent of pregnant women, prompting the Environment Ministry to initiate a 10-year action plan to reduce lead infection.
Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Sayedur Rahman emphasised the need for quick actions, suggesting comprehensive studies on lead content in food, leveraging the capabilities of public university labs. Officials from food and agriculture ministries presented data on harmful substances entering the human body through poultry, dairy products, and fish, highlighting the use of uncontrolled drugs in poultry farms.
Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder stressed the importance of food safety, urging the media to create public awareness and suggesting the inclusion of these topics in educational curricula.