Speakers emphasised on Wednesday that ensuring the access to vitamin-fortified safe edible oil for all is a must to safeguard public health.

Panelists shared these views on the second day of a two-day workshop for journalists titled “Safe Vitamin-fortified Edible Oil for All: Progress, Challenges, and Way Forward”, held at the BMA Bhaban in Dhaka on 23-24 January 2024.

The workshop was jointly organised by the research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.

A total of 26 journalists from print, television, and online media houses joined the workshop.

According to the National Micronutrient Survey 2011-12, one in five preschool aged children suffers from Vitamin ‘A’ deficiency while every two out of five children suffer from Vitamin ‘D’ deficiency.

In order to deal with the precarious situation, the government has already formulated and implemented the Vitamin ‘A’ Fortification in Edible Oil Act. However, bulk edible oil marketed in drums is still working as a hindrance to ensuring the proper implementation of the law, they added.

Reazul Haque, Deputy Director (CM), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI); Ashek Mahfuz, Portfolio Lead for Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) and Value Chain, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN); Md. Shafiqul Islam, Business In-charge, Bangla Tribune and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA were present at the event as discussants.

The key presentations were delivered by Abu Ahmed Shamim, Associate Scientist, James P Grant School of Public Health; Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar (former Additional Secretary), Consultant, Dr. Rina Rani Paul, Programme Manager, Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) Country Advocacy Bangladesh, National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute and Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programmes, PROGGA.