The New Nation - Internet Edition

Several thousand children of China fell ill after consuming milk contaminated with melamine, a chemical substance used in plastic industries. There have been some fatal cases too. Following the report, Bangladesh government banned procurement, stocking and sale of three brands of milk imported from China and ordered BSTI to test them and all other dairy products. It may be mentioned that Bangladesh imported about 43 thousand tonnes of powder milk annually from different countries. The alarming news is that despite the ban, milk of those brands was found on sale in the port city of Chittagong.

A complete anarchy reportedly prevails in the import and marketing of powder milk and baby formula and other food substances. The normal procedure in case of food import is that those should pass the test before clearance from the port. Then, how could the melamine-treated milk powder enter the country without necessary certificates? Recently, an influential business group imported 450 metric tonnes of full cream milk powder without mentioning dates of manufacture and expiry and the country of origin, information mandatory for import of food substances.

It is reported BSTI is not equipped with necessary technology to test melamine in dairy products. If this body does not have the requisite man and machines to perform its jobs properly, it could ask the government for the same. Necessary steps should be taken to equip BSTI with sophisticated machines.

The indispensability of a thorough test of all dairy products is that, out of ignorance, large number of parents depends on milk powder as an alternative to breast milk. If sales of contaminated milk products continue unrestricted for lack of test, it would be a real disaster for the babies in their growth periods.

Ariful Huq

Dhaka