Muktadir orders tougher monitoring to prevent milk adulteration

Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has directed the authorities concerned to take strict legal action against those involved in milk adulteration, describing the practice as a serious threat to public health and a heinous crime.

"There is no alternative to milk as a food for children. Yet, adulteration of milk is exposing them to serious health risks. Such harmful activities cannot be tolerated under any circumstances," he said.

The minister made the remarks today while addressing a meeting virtually as the chief guest on preventing milk adulteration at the conference room of the Pabna Deputy Commissioner's Office. Dairy farmers, producers, suppliers and traders attended the meeting.

Organised by the district administration with support from the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), the meeting discussed measures to ensure the quality and safety of milk.

The minister said Pabna plays an important role in the country's dairy production and dairy product processing. However, recent reports of adulteration in milk production and supply in the district have raised concern.

He said the activities of a handful of unscrupulous people were not only endangering public health but also damaging the long-standing reputation of Pabna's dairy industry.

Calling for zero tolerance for milk adulteration, Muktadir urged the DNCRP, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and district administration to strengthen field-level monitoring.

He also directed the authorities to conduct regular drives against the production, processing and marketing of adulterated milk and take strict legal action against those responsible.

Ensuring safe milk is not solely the responsibility of government agencies, he said, adding that dairy farmers, suppliers, traders, political leaders and the public must work together to prevent adulteration.

Speaking as a special guest, Commerce Ministry Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan said people working at different milk chilling centres in Pabna would be brought under training programmes to ensure milk quality.

He also stressed raising awareness at every stage, from production to marketing.

DNCRP Director General Md Zahirul Islam said he had visited the PRAN Group's chilling centre in Chatmohar and the Faruk Chilling Centre in Atghoria before the meeting.

During the inspection, authorities at the PRAN Group chilling centre said they had rejected milk supplied by five companies that day because the quality did not meet the required standards.

The DNCRP chief said the Chatmohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) had been instructed to identify the suppliers concerned and take necessary action.

He stressed that all stakeholders must act responsibly at every stage of milk production, collection, storage, processing and marketing to prevent adulteration.

Presiding over the meeting, Pabna Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aminul Islam said Pabna was one of the country's major dairy-producing districts.

He said the reputation of thousands of honest and hardworking dairy farmers must not be tarnished by the activities of a small number of unscrupulous individuals.

He added that regular drives and strict legal action against those involved in milk adulteration would continue. He also called for the establishment of a permanent laboratory in Pabna to test milk quality and detect adulteration.

District livestock officials, upazila nirbahi officers, representatives of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), the Chamber of Commerce, the Pabna Press Club, the National Security Intelligence (NSI), political leaders, dairy farmers, suppliers and traders attended the meeting.

Participants emphasised effective monitoring, stakeholder training, public awareness and coordinated efforts by government and private organisations to prevent milk adulteration.