Dhaka Metropolitan Police is preparing a list of those selling formalin, a hazardous chemical used to preserve food, as part of its drive against adulteration.
Published : 12 Jun 2014, 07:30 PM
Bangladesh imports the chemical far in excess of its actual demand, DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam told the media on Thursday.
“We have to find out how traders are importing this, and who are they selling it to.”
Detectives have already gathered useful information on the matter.
“Police will talk to businesspersons to find out why so much of formalin is coming into the country,” said the official.
Mobile courts and police teams have been scouring the country’s fish, fruit and grocery markets to impound and destroy food stuff having high formalin content. The rampant use of the preservative has exposed public health to high risk, experts have said.
Bangladesh had not imported formalin between November 2012 and August 2013, former Commerce Minister GM Quader had said when asked about its source.
“But I heard the markets are overwhelmed with formalin! Were they imported illegally, or are they the ones imported earlier?” he wondered.
DMP Join Commissioner said nearly 123 tonnes of mangoes, 7,464 kilograms of plums, and 1.5 million lychees containing formalin had been been destroyed.
“The fruits had been contaminated beyond endurable levels. Lychees had up to 1.49 ppm, mangoes from 2.48 to 125 ppm. But for fruits the limit is just 0.15 ppm.”
Police have set up eight posts to scan seasonal fruits coming into the city, and mobile courts have already sentenced three to prison and fined 12 people Tk 85,000 in total.