In a landmark initiative to combat micronutrient deficiencies and improve public health, Millers for Nutrition powered by TechnoServe successfully hosted a motivational workshop titled “Technology and Benefits of Introducing Fortified Wheat Flour in the Commercial Market.” The event occurred May 17, 2026, at Lakeshore Heights, Gulshan, Dhaka, bringing together Government, development partners and industry participants.
The workshop aimed to raise awareness of the role of fortified wheat flour in
addressing persistent micronutrient deficiencies, especially Vitamin A, Vitamin B Complex, Iron, and Zinc, which remain a pressing public health issue in Bangladesh, particularly among women and children. In the opening remarks, Md. Guljer Ahmmed, Country Program Manager, TechnoServe, underscored the critical need for collaborative action to expand wheat flour fortification in Bangladesh.
The event was honored by the presence of several distinguished guests, including the Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shoeb, Member, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), who stated, “Fortified wheat flour not only ensures nutrition but also serves as a sustainable public health strategy.” He added, “The time has come for its commercial expansion, as people have become significantly more health conscious.” Md. S. M. Abu Sayed, Deputy Director (CM), Bangladesh Standards & Testing Institution (BSTI), Md. Afif-Al-Mahmud Bhuiyan, Deputy Director (SDM), DG Food and Mir Shakrul Alam Simanto, Senior Vice President, Flour Mill Owners’ Association of Bangladesh participated in the event as Special Guests. Md. Zahirul Islam Khan, Director (SDM), DG Food was the chairperson in the
event.
The keynote presentation by Md. Nayem Zobayer, Senior Food Fortification Specialist at TechnoServe, delved into wheat flour fortification's technological innovations and economic viability. He emphasized the urgent need to address micronutrient deficiencies and cited wheat flour fortification as a scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable solution.
An open discussion session engaged flour millers, food industry leaders, and private sector stakeholders, who enthusiastically supported fortification efforts. Md. Moin Uddin Masud, Secretary & Mir Shakrul Alam Simanto, Senior Vice President, Flour Mill Owners’ Association of Bangladesh, expressed optimism that the Government of Bangladesh will soon initiate flour fortification across OMS program of Government in the country.
Strategic Fortification Partners of Millers for Nutrition initiative Hexagon Nutrition and Buhler along with key development partner organizations World Food Program (WFP), Nutrition International (NI), and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) contributed valuable insights and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting food fortification initiatives in Bangladesh. The workshop concluded with the speech of Md. Zahirul Islam Khan, Director (SDM), DG Food reaffirmed the collective commitment to scaling up sustainable and inclusive food fortification initiatives. This workshop marks a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s relentless efforts to combat micronutrient malnutrition. It reinforced the urgent need for unified action among government agencies,
private enterprises and development partners to expand food fortification efforts, ensuring improved nutrition and better health outcomes.
About Millers for Nutrition
Millers for Nutrition is supported by Strategic Fortification Partners: BASF, BioAnalyt, dsm-firmenich, Mühlenchemie, SternVitamin; Regional Strategic Fortification Partners: Hexagon Nutrition, Piramal, Sanku; and a growing group of local technical partners that share a common vision of improving food processing practices and fortification excellence to benefit society and enhance business sustainability. Millers for Nutrition is powered by TechnoServe with funding support from the Gates Foundation. Learn
more at millersfornutrition.com.
