Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder has said Bangladesh must ensure food safety to enter into the global market for export. 

Bangladesh has huge scope for food export, but it cannot utilize the opportunity as it could not ensure safe food everywhere, he said.

“In the backdrop of global demand, Bangladesh can be a potential food exporter. But, we cannot avail the opportunity as we could not ensure safe food for all,” he said at a seminar here today.

Bangladesh Food Safety Authority organized the seminar on “Modern Food Safety System in Bangladesh” at pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel here today.

The food adviser said as Bangladesh is progressing to be a developing country, its food safety is very crucial as fundamental pillars of our welfare.

The country although has many success in various fields but there have huge opportunity to work with safe food, he told the seminar.

“Our coordinated efforts are very much needed to create a modern safe food system”, he added.

Majumder said if we can ensure the food safety and quality then we will have more access to the international market to augment our export from agriculture and food sector. 

The adviser said skilled manpower and internationally recognized laboratory are needed for achieve global recognition about our food safety system. 

He said the interim government has taken an initiative to construct a modern and safe food testing lab in Dhaka under a loan agreement with Japan government.

The lab will act as the reference lab of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority. An office building and a special training center will also be constructed for capacity building of the officials and traders, he said.

He said laboratory and office buildings would be constructed in Chattogram and Khulna division, and food examination and legal procedure would be strengthened across the country.

Director of Food Science and Technology Institute of Bangladesh Science and Industrial Research Council (BSIRC) Manjur Morshed Ahmed presented the keynote paper at the seminar while Food Secretary M Masudul Hasan was in the chair.

Japanese Ambassador in Bangladesh Shinichi Saida and JICA chief representative in Bangladesh Tomohide Ichiguchi took part in the seminar as guests of honor.

Highlighting strong and long cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan in various fields, the Japanese envoy said, its matter of great pleasure for his country for expansion of the cooperation in the area of safe food.

The Food Secretary laid importance on taking a holistic approach to build up a modern food safety system instead of any partial solution.

Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) chairman Zakaria in his welcome address expressed gratitude to JICA for providing continuous support to the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority.

Representative from food regulatory bodies, representative from different ministries, business community, donor agencies and different local and international organizations attended the seminar.