Safe food drive: Tk 35.5 lakh fined, 28 cases filed in October

Food waste is an almost universal problem in developed countries. © Adobe-Arie Studio

Dhaka, Nov 2 — The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) fined offenders a total of Tk 35.5 lakh and filed 28 cases in October under the Safe Food Act, 2013, through mobile courts and drives across the country.

BFSA in a statement on Monday said that it also monitored 1,127 food establishments during the month and issued health certificates for four export-eligible products.

In Dhaka metropolitan area, 17 drives were conducted in October. Nine establishments were fined Tk 13 lakh in total, and 11 cases were filed.

The common irregularities found at these establishments included food workers lacking health certificates, operating without mandatory registration, preparing food in unhygienic conditions, storing unlabelled fish, meat and other items in refrigerators, having no trade licence, and failing to show pest control documents.

Outside Dhaka, drives were carried out on 17 establishments in different districts.

These establishments were fined a total of Tk 22.5 lakh, and 17 cases were filed against them for offences including cockroach infestation in kitchens, use of burnt oil, use of unapproved chemical colours and unauthorised products, missing labels on products, and producing food in filthy and unhealthy environments.

Overall, 34 drives were conducted in October 2026, resulting in fines worth Tk 35.5 lakh and 28 cases.

Alongside enforcement, the authority has stepped up monitoring of food establishments nationwide. In October, it monitored 1,127 establishments, including markets, hotels and restaurants, bakeries, sweetmeat shops, and food producers and processors.

Through monitoring, the authority oversees compliance with food safety rules in production, storage, serving, processing and marketing, and issues directives or takes legal action against establishments as needed.

Speaking about the ongoing activities, BFSA Chairman Shafiqul Islam said the authority is carrying out multifaceted measures to ensure safe and quality food.

"Alongside regular supervision of food businesses, mobile courts, and food sample testing and research, we are putting strong emphasis on raising public awareness," he said.

He noted that BFSA has recently taken steps to enforce registration and licensing for food businesses.

The chairman said ensuring safe food for everyone in the country is not possible for the authority alone, as it is the collective outcome of many efforts.

"If all stakeholders come forward to help, this drive for safe food will become more dynamic and wider in reach," he added. - UNB