Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to move up with stern punitive measures against adulteration of food, saying people can sell food items calculating profit margin but adulteration would not be accepted anyhow.

“You (authorities) have to make the traders aware about adulteration, on the other hand stern punitive measures have to be taken to stop it,” she said.

The premier was addressing an event of National Safe Food Day-2021 as chief guest at Hotel Intercontinental here, joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

She also laid emphasis on intake of balanced food to meet nutrition demand alongside carrying out awareness building campaigns among the people for it.

“Awareness building campaign on balanced food intake is urgent and necessary . . . I think it should be included in safe food,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said people now earn money and have the ability to buy some protein, but they should know the ways of intake balanced food.

Prime Minister said the government is working to materialize the hunger-poverty-free and developed “Sonar Bangla” as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman where food security, balanced food, safe food and nutrition would be ensured alongside people’s healthy and developed life.

Agriculture minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP, and fisheries and livestock minister S M Rezaul Karim, MP, also spoke on the occasion as special guests.

With food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, MP, in the chair, secretary Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum gave welcome speech in the function.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and officials concerned were present at the Ganabhaban end.

BDST: 1612 HRS, FEB 18, 2021
AP/SMS