The High Court on Wednesday asked the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) to submit a report by June 23 containing a list of the companies involved in adulteration of milk, dairy products after examining those and what legal action taken against them.
It also asked Prof Dr Shahnnila Ferdousi, chief of the National Food Safety Laboratory (NFSL), to appear before the court on May 21 along with the study report prepared by the organisation.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order after hearing on a time petition. Lawyer Mohammad Faridul Islam stood for BFSA, while barrister Sarker MR Hasan for BSTI, Lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub for the Anti-Corruption Commission and deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin Manik and assistant attorney general Helena Begum Chaina for the state.
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On May 8, the HC directed BFSA to submit a list of the companies involved in adulteration of milk and curd within May 15. During today’s hearing, the counsel for BFSA authorities, barrister Faridul Alam, informed that BFSA requires more time as it could not prepare the report within the timeframe. BSFA submitted a report on May 8 which said harmful chemical lead and antibiotics were found in 96 samples of unpacked milk collected from the market.
Besides, adulteration was evident in 18 of the 31 samples of packaged milk but the names of the milk-producing companies responsible for the adulteration were absent in the report. On February 11, the High Court directed the authorities concerned to conduct a survey to determine how much cow milk, dairy products and cow fodders containing bacteria, antibiotic, lead and pesticides are supplied across the country. Different national dailies published reports on February 10 citing survey findings on the presence of pesticides, antibiotic and bacteria in raw cow milk.