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Antibiotics in milk

Bureaucrats active to ‘harass’ Prof Faroque


Published : 14 Jul 2019 08:01 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 12:14 PM

After antibiotics were found in a second consecutive test of milk available in city markets, some government bureaucrats have become active to harass Dr ABM Farouque who led the research conducted by Dhaka University teachers, alleged students of the university. On Sunday media reports said that former director of Dhaka University’s Biomedical Research Center ABM Professor Faroque was going to face action taken against him by Safe Food Authority on Sunday.

But, the Safe Food Authority says that it is not going to challenge Professor Faroque rather they want information of his research. Previously a letter was sent to him asking about the details of his research but since Professor Faroque didn’t comply with the request another letter was sent to him on Sunday. Recent press release signed by AMB Faroque states that for a second time ten milk samples collected from local markets have resulted that they contain antibiotics in them. When the reports of his were first released into the media through an official press conference, Professor ABM Faroque’s research had gained much heat and became the talk of the town. It was even raised in the parliamentary session. Afterwards, the department chairs related with the faculty of Pharmacy stated that the research didn’t have anything to do with the departments. The research was done independently.

Fisheries and Livestock Ministry additional secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin had specially been strict about this as Professor ABM Faroque’s research findings were released into the public before it was published in any reputed journal. Kazi Wasi Uddin threatened that actions will be taken against the Professor for inciting suspicion amongst the public.

Regarding this Kazi Wasi Uddin said, “Safe Food Authority had presented him with a letter asking for information regarding his research. Since he hadn’t complied with the request the decision to send another letter on Sunday has been taken.” Regarding the publishing of his research in an authorised journal the Professor said that the publishing of a research journal takes time and as the findings of the research consists of mass benefit that is why he decided to go to the media to announce his findings.

Meanwhile, people have taken to the social media showing their grief about personally rebuking and threatening the Professor regarding his findings. Posts have been found on the social media which dictate that a teacher such as him (Professor ABM Faroque) should not be harassed in such a way for announcing his research findings. Also, people say that whether the findings of his research valid or not should be judged by sending similar samples to independent laboratories and conducting the same tests which he has conducted to come to such a conclusion.

Safe Food Authority Member and Additional Secretary Mahbub Kabir regarding taking action against the Professor said, “We didn’t send him the letter to challenge him. But we do have to know where he conducted his tests. We have such facilities in our country where such tests can be conducted and we don’t know about it is quite surprising. We are quite surprised after reading his report. There are such laboratories in our country. How did he find the antibiotic levels? What is the dimension, is it above the acceptable level or not? He did not even provide that information. We tested the samples in two different labs. We need to know how he found out what we couldn’t. We need such laboratories.”

Regarding Professor ABM Faroque’s lack of response to the letters sent to him Mahbub Kabir added, “What he found is a very big problem. We have to solve it as a nation. We couldn’t find any antibiotics in the two laboratories where the tests were conducted. But I cannot say that the remaining milk samples do not have these.”

Regarding this Professor ABM Faroque says, “The way some government officials and company owners verbally attacked me over the results of a survey to determine packaged milk's quality is disturbing. I now feel threatened.”