Two food outlets fined over 'harmful substances' in Cox’s Bazar

Detailed summary

Two food businesses in Cox's Bazar have been fined Tk 6 lakh for violating safety regulations, while legal proceedings have been ordered against two others over the alleged…

Two food businesses in Cox's Bazar have been fined Tk 6 lakh for violating safety regulations, while legal proceedings have been ordered against two others over the alleged presence of substances in their food harmful to human health.

The drive was conducted at different locations across the city between 4:00pm and 9:00pm, with Subrata Bhattacharya, district officer of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), also present.

A mobile court led by Senior Judicial Magistrate SM Gias Uddin fined supermarket chain Shwapno and Zaman Restaurant Tk 3 lakh each during an enforcement drive yesterday for selling and serving food in violation of food safety regulations, Subrata said.

The court ordered legal proceedings against Kasundi and Chowrangi Bakery instead of imposing fines due to the alleged presence of harmful substances in their food, he added.

Subrata further said the drive was conducted through summary judicial proceedings under the Pure Food Court system to assess compliance with food safety laws at restaurants and food outlets.

During the inspections, authorities found various irregularities at several establishments, he said.

The BFSA will continue monitoring food businesses and conducting mobile court drives to ensure food safety for consumers, Subrata said.

Meanwhile, restaurant owners staged demonstrations against the drive last night, claiming that it had been conducted improperly.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Daily Star. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.