Food and Public Administration minister Abdul Bari on Saturday said food poisoning is increasingly affecting children due to a lack of food safety.
"The situation is due to excessive use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural production, in some cases three times the required amount of pesticides are being used," he said.
He made the remarks at the inception seminar and cheque distribution ceremony of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) Fellowship Programme for the fiscal year 2025–26, held on Saturday at the BFSA office on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in Dhaka.
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The BFSA launched the fellowship initiative under its 2024 fellowship policy to promote research in food safety.
He also said that despite global demand for Bangladeshi food products, weak safety standards are preventing access to export markets.
BFSA Chairman (Additional Charge) Md. Anwarul Islam presided over the event, while Food Secretary Abu Taher Md. Masud Rana attended as special guest.
The minister said food contamination is a global issue but more severe in Bangladesh. He added that the rise in cancer and other diseases over the past two decades is linked to unsafe food consumption and excessive chemical use.
He stressed the need to reduce chemical fertiliser and pesticide use and increase organic farming, saying the government is working in this direction.
Abdul Bari said a significant amount of money is being spent on healthcare due to food-related illnesses. He also called for strict enforcement of laws to ensure food safety.
He further said Bangladesh has export potential for processed food products, but cannot fully benefit due to inadequate safety standards and strict international regulations.
The minister urged monthly market monitoring and regular field-level inspections to ensure accountability and public awareness.
He also said steps will be taken to strengthen institutional capacity through recruitment and promotion within the food safety authority.
Food Secretary Abu Taher Md. Masud Rana said unsafe food acts as a silent killer and stressed the need for ensuring food safety to protect public health. He also highlighted the importance of increased research funding and public awareness.
BFSA Chairman Md. Anwarul Islam said most fellowship research will focus on food-related issues and stressed the need for increased budget allocation for research.
A total of 20 fellows were selected from 323 applicants under the General Fellowship-1 (MS/equivalent) category for 2025–26. Research areas include food microbiology, chemistry, toxicology, preservation, contamination control, risk management, emerging technologies and waste management.
Each fellow will receive Tk 84,000 annually, along with Tk 30,000 for supervisors and Tk 50,000 for research expenses, totalling Tk 164,000 per fellow.
The BFSA plans to expand the programme further to MPhil and PhD-level fellowships in the future.