DHAKA, Feb 1, 2021 (BSS) – National Food Safety Day -2021 will be observed tomorrow across the country with a vow to ensure safe food for all in a befitting manner.
This year’s theme of the day is “Sustainable development-rich country, safe food for Bangladesh”.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages on the occasion, urging all to join the movement for ensuring production of safe food to save life and health, and also the import and marketing of safe food.
In his message, the President said there is no substitute for safe and nutritious food to ensure public health as eating unsafe food can lead to serious health risks including cancer, kidney disease and disability.
Therefore, it is very important to ensure proper implementation of the law and speed up public awareness activities on safe food in coordination with all concerned agencies, he said.
Bangladesh Food Safety Authority has been conducting activities in coordination with all the concerned organizations by making 13 regulations related to safe food and conducting regular monitoring and anti-adulteration campaigns including raising awareness about safe food which is highly commendable, he added.
The present government is implementing comprehensive programs for the development of public health, including access to safe food, increase in medical facilities, health education and sanitation.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated her government’s commitment to safeguard the health of the people.
“Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in food production and the government is working to implement various programmes to ensure special security in producing, marketing and supplying food. We have formulated The National Food Security Act 2013 and established Bangladesh Food Safety Authority in 2015,” she mentioned.
In line with this, the present government is working relentlessly to achieve this target,” the Prime Minister added.
To ensure food security for the people of the country, the government has placed great emphasis on mechanization in agriculture along with fertilizers, seeds and irrigation, which reduces the risk of food wastage and insecurity, she said
In the age of globalization, there is no substitute for the versatility of food and its security in the development of the international trade and tourism industry, especially with global warming, food security risks are on the rise. So we all need to give more importance to food security, said the premier.
Government and non-government organizations have to work together and through the joint efforts of all through raising public awareness and the effective role of partners, the country will be able to ensure safe food for all, she added.
“I will build the hunger-poverty-free and happy-prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ as per the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she further said.
They both wished the success of this Day.