Speakers on Tuesday said ensuring the availability of vitamin-fortified and safe edible oil is now a pressing need to nurture a healthy and productive generation.

The speakers said this at a workshop for journalists titled ‘Vitamin-Fortified Safe Edible Oil for All: Progress, Challenges, and Way Forward’, at the BMA Bhaban in Dhaka.

The workshop was organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, with participation from 23 journalists from print, television, and online media.

They said the sale of edible oil in open drums violates government regulations and poses risks to public health.

Although Vitamin ‘A’ Enrichment in Edible Oils Act, 2013 exists, most oils in the market does not contain any vitamins or contain less than the mandated amount, they said.

A study by ICDDR, B found that 65% of edible oil in the market is sold in drums, of which 59% does not contain any vitamin A, and only 7% meet the legal standard for vitamin content.

The speakers said these non-food grade, hazardous drums are often used previously to store chemicals, engine oil, or industrial products.

These drums also do not provide information about the oil’s source or quality, allowing adulterated or substandard oils to enter the market easily. T

They called for strengthened coordinated monitoring by the Ministry of Industries, BSTI, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, and the Food Safety Authority to ensure safe, vitamin-fortified edible oil.

The speakers also pointed out that vitamin A deficiency rises the risk of childhood blindness and maternal mortality, while vitamin D deficiency is associated with greater risk of rickets, loss of bone density, cardiovascular disease, and various non-communicable diseases.

Fakir Muhammad Munawar Hossain, Former Director (Deputy Secretary), Operations and Laboratories Department, Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection (DNCRP); Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar, Consultant, National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute; Dr. Ashek Mahfuz, Portfolio Lead for Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) and Value Chain, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), among others, were present.

The key presentations were delivered by Dr. Aliva Haque, Program Officer and Md. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs, PROGGA.