A validation workshop for the Feasibility Study on establishing the "Centre for Food Fortification, Quality and Safety (CFQS)" was held today at Lakeshore Heights in the capital. This initiative aims to further strengthen the country's nutrition security, food quality assurance, and public health protection.
The workshop was jointly organized by Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
The workshop's Chief Guest was Professor Dr. A K Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan, Vice Chancellor of BAU. He stated that the establishment of the CFQS is a highly timely initiative to enhance modern research, training, and laboratory facilities for food fortification and quality control. He expressed optimism that this Centre will serve as a national platform for ensuring safe and nutrient-rich food in the country.
The workshop was chaired by Professor Dr. Md. Amir Hossain, Director of the Professor Mohammad Hossain Central Laboratory (PMHCL).
The Special Guests present at the workshop included Dr. Md. Rizwanur Rahman, Director General, Bangladesh National Nutrition Council; Mr. Sultan Alam, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Industries; Professor Dr. G M Mujibur Rahman, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Syndicate member, BAU; Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahidul Haque, Student Affairs Adviser, BAU and Dr. Ashek Mahfuz, Portfolio Lead, Large Scale Food Fortification & Value Chain, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
They emphasized that the CFQS will make significant contributions to establishing modern labs for food quality testing, ensuring the correct application of fortification in the industrial sector, human resource development, and policy research.
Md. Abul Bashar Chowdhury, Project Manager, Food Fortification Project at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), presented the background of the feasibility study. Subsequently, the core Feasibility Study report was presented by Professor Dr. Md. Wakilur Rahman, Department of Agricultural Economics, BAU.
Representatives from the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN), World Food Programme (WFP), Nutrition International, TechnoServe, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Agricultural University participated in an open discussion. They provided constructive feedback on the proposed structure of the Centre, its laboratory capacity, quality control system, and training plan.
It was evident from the report presented and the discussions and exchange of views among the participants that establishing the Centre for Food Fortification, Quality and Safety (CFQS) will strengthen the country's nutritional security. Furthermore, food fortification activities will become more coordinated and accelerated to address the public health problems caused by existing nutritional deficiencies, and modern capabilities in food quality testing will be developed.
