Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) in a joint drive at Shah Ali Kitchen Market in Mirpur-1 seized and destroyed 40 kgs of shrimp laced with harmful jelly.

The drive was carried out jointly by officials from the Department of Agricultural Marketing, Dhaka North City Corporation, Department of Agricultural Extension, Department of Fisheries, and Department of Livestock Services.

During the drive, the team found various irregularities across fish, meat, poultry, vegetable and grocery shops.

Unscrupulous traders were found injecting harmful jelly into shrimp to artificially increase their weight, prompting authorities to seize and destroy the affected stock on the spot.

The team also found liver of dead goat being sold at one shop.

Following proper inspection and confirmation, the liver was seized and destroyed as well.

BFSA officials said price lists were missing at most fish, meat and vegetable shops across the market. The use of red lights at fish and meat shops, often used to make products appear fresher than they are was also observed and immediately removed, they said..

The market's shop owners' association was instructed to rectify the identified irregularities within the next 30 days, with authorities warning that failure to comply would result in legal action in future drives under relevant laws.

BFSA Deputy Director BM Ruhul Amin Rimon led the operation.

He said such joint drives, coordinated by BFSA with other relevant government departments,are conducted once every month, with Tuesday's action at Shah Ali Kitchen Market being part of that continuing series. "We will continue this activity in the public interest."