Millers for Nutrition Country Conclave 2026 Strengthens Public-Private Commitment to Food Fortification in Bangladesh Millers for Nutrition coalition, powered by TechnoServe, hosted Bangladesh Country Conclave 2026 in Dhaka, bringing together government, industry, development, and academic stakeholders to strengthen collaboration on food fortification and improved access to safe and fortified foods in Bangladesh.
The conclave aimed to strengthen public-private collaboration to advance food fortification, improve food safety compliance, and promote the adoption of innovative technologies including automation within Bangladesh’s food processing sector. Discussions also focused on identifying regulatory and industry challenges, enhancing technical support mechanisms, strengthening Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), and accelerating sustainable fortification practices to improve national nutrition outcomes.
Welcoming participants, Md. Guljer Ahmmed, Country Program Manager of TechnoServe Bangladesh, emphasized the importance of collective action and stronger industry engagement to expand access to fortified foods across Bangladesh.
As special guest Mr. Md. Jamal Hossain, ADG of DG Food emphasized on the role of fortified staples on eradication of malnutrition through food fortification. Chief Guest Mr. M. Jashim Uddin Khan, Director General of the DG Food highlighted the importance of fortified food production, strengthened industry compliance, and coordinated multi-stakeholder collaboration to improve national nutrition outcomes.
In a technical presentation on automation of fortified rice blending system Prof. Dr. Md. Rostom Ali demonstrated the prototype developed and future potential of this technology, which will minimize manual efforts currently practiced by the millers. Mr. Zakir Ibne Hai, ED & COO of ACI Foods & Beverage focused on ACI’s commitment to scale up its coverage of food fortification initiative and appreciated Millers for Nutrition initiative’s support to ACI on expanding their activities.
Md. Moin Uddin Masud, Organizing Secretary of Bangladesh Fortified Rice Mill Association stressed the importance of private sector leadership, stronger miller engagement, and continued technical support to sustain fortification efforts. Sharing practical experience on Food Safety Management System (FSMS) implementation, Md. Kamal Uddin highlighted the role of strengthened food safety systems in improving compliance and consumer confidence, while Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shoeb, Member (Food Industry and Production), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority outlined key regulatory priorities and strategic actions needed to strengthen Bangladesh’s food fortification ecosystem.
In the closing session Monojit Indra, Program Leader (Asia), Millers for Nutrition, TechnoServe, emphasized the future vision of the initiative, focusing on sustained collaboration, industry participation, and scaling up food fortification interventions across Bangladesh.
The conclave brought together representatives from: Directorate General of Food, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Food Planning and Monitoring Unit, Department of Women Affairs (DWA), Universities across Bangladesh, Development organizations and millers associations, Leading food industries and fortified rice kernel (FRK) manufacturers. Strategic Fortification Partners of the Millers for Nutrition initiative —BASF, Hexagon Nutrition, and Bühler — alongside development partners including World Food Programme (WFP), Nutrition International (NI), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and National Heart Foundation shared technical insights and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting food fortification initiatives in Bangladesh.
The conclave highlighted food fortification as a key strategy for improving nutrition and public health in Bangladesh through stronger public-private collaboration, improved food safety practices, and greater adoption of automation, AI, and technical support.
The event concluded with a collective commitment to strengthen partnerships, regulatory compliance, and sustainable fortification initiatives across the country. 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. Miller for Nutrition is powered by TechnoServe with funding support from the Gates Foundation. Learn more at millersfornutrition.com.
