The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Experts and officials of Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF), a socio-welfare organisation, yesterday called the Government to discourage importing infant formula in the country and asked all concerned to put allout efforts to campaign for breastfeeding.

Existence of toxic melamine in powder milk samples of some major brands in the market exposes babies to the risk of feeding artificial food instead of breastfeeding, they said at a press conference organised by the BBF at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Expressing their alarm that presence of melamine in powder milk already led to illness of many babies in China, BBF President SK Roy stressed the need for ensuring exclusive breastfeeding of infants up to six months and not to feed the babies infant formulas. He urged the authorities to stop marketing of artificial infant foods for safeguarding the health and welbeing of the future generations.

The BBF president said an infant does not require any food other than his or her mother's breast-feed until six months of age. He said breast feed that contains appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat is the perfect source of nutrition for infants.

Prof Soofia Khatoon, Secretary General of BBF said the exact composition of breast milk could be duplicated. Human milk contained living cells, hormones, active enzymes, and immunoglobulins that could be replicated in infant formula, she said.

Prof Dr Abdul Hannan, executive director of Institute of Child and Mother Health (ICMH) said breastfeeding provided the digestive proteins, minerals, vitamins, and hormones that infants need. Breast milk contained valuable antibodies from the mother that may help the baby resist infections, he added.

Biman Kumar Saha, executive Director of National Nutrition Program (NNP) said infants were not the only ones who benefit from breast-feeding; mothers, too, were the recipients of many positive hormonal and physical effects.

Among others, journalist Sarwar Zahan, chairperson of BMS code of BBF also spoke on the occasion.