Dhaka: State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj emphasized the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards irregularities in the primary school feeding programme. He stated that although the government supports business-friendly policies, it will not tolerate any discrepancies in the programme’s implementation.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the state minister highlighted that there is no room to stockpile food meant for students. The allocated food must be distributed to students daily, ensuring that it reaches them fresh and nutritious. Hajjaj made these remarks during a views-exchange meeting at the Primary Training Institute (PTI) in Mirpur, Dhaka.
He further stressed the importance of maintaining quality in the food provided to students, warning that any failure to do so would result in the cessation of business relations with the responsible supplier institutions. Hajjaj underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring that the food reaches children effectively and cautioned that those failing to act responsibly could jeopardize their jobs or businesses.
The state minister warned that strict actions would be taken against suppliers involved in any irregularities in food quality, supply, or distribution. He reiterated that the fundamental condition of business is to adequately meet demand, and the primary aim of the project is to deliver nutritious food to children.
Hajjaj noted that the school feeding programme operates in 151 upazilas, with a project budget of nearly Tk 5,500 crore, which constitutes about one percent of the national budget. He indicated that failing to deliver food properly under such a substantial project would be an injustice to the people.
Furthermore, the state minister instructed all suppliers to submit a comprehensive map of their supply chain within the next seven days. This map should detail the sourcing of products and their distribution points. He also directed the supplier institutions to appoint qualified food technicians to ensure the quality of food provided.
The programme was attended by Primary and Mass Education Secretary Md Sakhawat Hossain, Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Shahina Ferdousi, the Project Director of the Mid-Day Meal programme, and other officials.