Consumers at extreme health risk
Staff Reporter:
Allegation has been intensified that adulterated and substandard food items especially yoghurt and sweetmeats are being sold randomly at various hotels and restaurants, even at differentsweetmeats shops on the busiest Nawabpur Road in the capital putting the public health at serious risk.

Extreme anger has been created among the people as the concerned authorities have remained silent for unknown reasons, though such business is going on under the nose of them.

It has been reported that a section of unscrupulous traders have been preparing, preserving and selling adulterated and low quality foods especially yoghurt and sweets in an unhealthy environment ahead of Sharadiya Durga Puja, the largest festival of Hindu community. As a result, local consumers are facing extreme health risks.
Meanwhile, many people have been suffered from stomach ailments especially diarrhoea, after taking the adulterated and below standard foods from these hotels, restaurants and sweetmeat shops.

Locals alleged that, unscrupulous traders have been running brisk business of such substandard foods in an unhealthy environment due to lack of strict surveillance by the authorities concerned.
Most of the hotels, restaurants, yoghurt and sweetmeat shops on the Nawabpur Road are preparing various dishes in an unhealthy environment.

Especially on the occasion of Durga Puja in the autumn, the demand for yoghurt and sweetmeats has been increased, locals said.
Taking the advantage, huge quantities of yoghurt and sweets are being produced in unhealthy environments, most of which are being stored in the open place. Rats, cats, cockroaches and even sometimes dogs are putting their mouths on those foods. However, these rotten and unhealthy foods are being sold among the buyers, many of whom are suffering from stomach ailments and are being admitted to the hospital.

During a spot visit, this correspondent found that, ‘Adi Lal Chand & Sons’, a yoghurt and sweetmeat factory located on Nawabpur Road, is making yoghurt, sweets and other varieties of sweetmeats in an unhygienic environment. Later, the adulterated and substandard food items are being sold from their three sale centers.
According to a complaint submitted by a local man, who did not want to be named for security reasons, all of his family members had been suffered from stomach ache for about a week after buying and eating yoghurt from the said shop.

When, he went to the authorities of the Adi Lal Chand & Sons for complaint about this, they threatened him and denied the allegation.
While contacted for comment, the owner of Adi Lal Chand & Sons declined to make any comment in this regard to the media.

It is to be mentioned that, the factory was fined at Tk 6 lakh under the Consumer Rights Act on February 27 in 2017 and Tk 50,000 (fifty thousand) on April 12 in 2018 for producing, preserving and selling of such adulterated and substandard food items.
Locals urged the authorities concerned to take necessary steps including enhancing of special surveillance and conducting raid at the shops for the sake of public health.