Drive against unhygienic food

The recent drives conducted by several mobile courts of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in various food outlets and restaurants to thwart selling stale and rotten food items deserve appreciation. The drives reveal a grim picture of food safety for consumers of Bangladesh. Recently, we were exposed to the sorry state of our food safety through the official Facebook page of DMP.  Renowned super shops were fined for selling foods without the approval of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). The mega-stores and restaurants were also fined for keeping expired products, rotten foods and the overall unhygienic conditions. The surprising fact is that the penalised stores are still experiencing customer rush during iftar time. We, the citizens, urge the authorities to continue such drives. We also expect the media to cover special reports on the dreadful condition of the errant restaurants, super shops and local markets to raise public awareness.

Md. Rabiul Islam Rabi
Malibagh Bishwaroad, Dhaka