Govt to enact law to control formalin
GM Quader tells parliament
The government has moved to formulate a new law to impose stringent restrictions on import of formalin and control its misuse to save the nation from the growing menace, Commerce Minister GM Quader told the House yesterday.
He said the government had also planned to procure highly expensive kits to detect formalin in food items for all divisional and district offices of the National Consumers Rights Protection Department to strengthen the fight against formalin misuse.
The minister said even his ministry would prepare a mega plan in coordination with the ministries of industries, LGRD, food and health to introduce formalin detector machines at all markets across the country.
Quader came up with the government plans after a number of MPs had expressed concerns over the health hazard caused by unregulated use of formalin in food items.
Indiscriminate use of formalin and other allied chemicals to foodstuffs has already caused havoc, especially in the kitchen markets all over the country.
As a sure formula to prolong the decaying process and keep up the freshness of fish, fruits and vegetables, the use of formalin as well as the allied chemicals has been rampant for long.
On the new law, the commerce minister said his ministry had taken the step to control import, supply and misuse of formalin and other poisonous chemicals.
“A committee headed by a joint secretary has already drafted the law which will be finalised soon,†Quader said.
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