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Don’t run misleading milk ads, reports

HC to BSTI


Published : 09 Jul 2019 09:14 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 03:19 PM

The High Court on Tuesday reprimanded the lawyer of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) for claiming that this court has expressed satisfaction at its test report on 14 brands’ pasteurised milk. The HC asked the BSTI lawyer to stop publishing advertisements and reports on milk that might spread misleading information among the people.

The bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir gave the verbal order. It also expressed dissatisfaction at the BSTI counsel’s remarks that the court was satisfied with the BSTI report. “We didn’t pass any order or made any observations about the report but you told the media that we expressed satisfaction,” the court told the BSTI lawyer.

It noted how Pran Group was quoting the court to praise qualities of its products after the BSTI lawyer’s comment. “Who’ll take responsibility if someone falls sick after drinking their milk?” the court asked. July 14 was fixed for the next hearing. Barrister Sarkar MR Hasan stood for BSI and Advocate Tanvir Ahmed represented the writ petitioner.

Earlier, the court directed the authorities concerned to submit the report provided by Dhaka University’s Pharmacy Faculty and Biomedical Research Centre on pasteurised milk. On May 21, the court asked BSTI to make a list of companies and file a report within a month after testing milk and dairy products across the country.

The order was issued after BSTI questioned a report by National Food Safety Laboratory which found chemicals in samples of liquid and powder milk and dairy products. The icddr,b scientists on May 16 revealed that more than 75 percent of all pasteurised milk available in the local market is unsafe for direct consumption.

On June 25, Barrister Hasan submitted a report before the court. BSTI said no harmful elements were found in pasteurised milk of 14 companies. On the same day, researchers announced to have found traces of antibiotics and detergent in pasteurised milk produced by five companies. The BSTI lawyer on June 30 told reporters that the HC bench expressed satisfaction on the BSTI’s test report on the pasteurisedmilk as it has not detected any health hazardous substance in the pasteurised milk of the 14 brands.

Meanwhile DU Pharmacy Faculty and Biomedical Research Centre in test report said they have found detergent in milk available in the kitchen market for consumers across the country. Professor ABM Faruk, director of Biomedical Research Centre unveiled the finding at Pharmacy Lecture Theatre in DU on June 25. The HC on June 30 asked the BSTI lawyer to submit the DU’s report to this court through affidavit.