Cabinet approves draft law to prevent harmful activities in food production, sales

The government has approved the draft of a law to prevent harmful activities in every stage of food production, supply and sales by defining the offences and fixing the punishments. 

The cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the draft of the Production, Storage, Transfer, Transport, Supply, Distribution and Marketing of Foodstuffs (Prevention of Harmful Activities) Act 2023 on Monday.

Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain said the food ministry made the draft by incorporating the Food Special Court Act 1956 and the Food Grain Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial Activities) Ordinance 1979.

Destroying the nutrition value of food by removing natural elements completely or partially before marketing, along with mixing harmful substances in food, will be punishable under the law.

The other offences include production without a licence from the Directorate General of Food or with an expired licence or mixing ingredients above the permitted limits.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majmuder had previously said the government had been preparing a law to criminalise putting names like Miniket on sacks of rice of different other varieties.   

Secretary Mahbub said the punishment for such offences under the new law would be a jail term of two years or Tk 1 million fines or both.

For stockpiling food beyond the permitted levels or violating government instructions on storage, an offender will face life term or 14 years in jail or fines.

If a person can prove they stored food not for profiteering, they will be fined or jailed for a maximum of three months.

The draft law proposes five-year jail term or Tk 1.5 million fines or both for providing false information to consumers.

If a company is found guilty of these offences, the executives, partners and employees involved in the harmful activities will be punished, unless they can prove that they were unaware of the crimes.