EVERY year on October 16, the world observes World Food Day. This year’s theme, ‘hand in hand for better food and a better future,’ calls for collective effort towards a healthier and more sustainable world. The day holds particular significance this year, as it coincides with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2025. Across the globe, and in Bangladesh, the occasion is marked with events to raise awareness about hunger, malnutrition, sustainable food systems and global food security.
Food is one of the basic human needs, yet mere consumption is not enough to ensure safety and nutrition. Since food has a direct connection to human health, productivity and quality of life, access to safe and nutritious food must be recognised not merely as a necessity but as a legal right. Safe food is a fundamental human right, and the survival and wellbeing of humankind depend upon it. Article 25(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights upholds this right, and Articles 15(a) and 18(1) of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh affirm the state’s obligation to ensure that all citizens have access to adequate food.
Bangladesh enacted the Safe Food Act in 2013 to guarantee this right. To enforce it, the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority was established on 2 February 2015. The authority’s primary responsibility is to ensure the right to safe food through proper regulation of production, import, processing, distribution, marketing and sales. It has since framed several rules and regulations to operationalise its mandate. However, the pressing question remains, how safe and healthy is the food we consume?
The excessive and uncontrolled use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture poses a serious threat to food safety. These substances, applied to boost yields, eventually enter the human body and cause long-term health complications. Fruits, milk and fish are often contaminated with artificial colours, sweeteners and other adulterants, endangering public health. Food is also frequently stored at improper temperatures and transported in unhygienic conditions, compounding the problem.
A lack of awareness among producers, traders and consumers aggravates the situation. Many farmers are unaware of the proper withdrawal periods for pesticides, while unscrupulous sellers prioritise profit over safety. In urban areas, weak food preservation practices, poor transportation systems, water pollution and inadequate waste management make food insecurity even more severe. Open market practices, where meat, fish, milk and vegetables are exposed to the environment without proper hygiene, increase the risk of contamination.
Corruption within the administration and poor enforcement of food safety laws further perpetuate the problem. The Safe Food Act and related quality control regulations are not effectively implemented. A lack of adequate monitoring and the absence of regular mobile courts allow offenders to escape meaningful punishment. Moreover, Bangladesh does not yet have modern laboratories to conduct comprehensive food testing, making it difficult to identify adulteration accurately.
The Safe Food Act 2013, the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, the Adulteration Act, and the establishment of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority have together created a strong legal framework. Yet the major challenge remains enforcement. Due to corruption and administrative inefficiency, offenders are rarely punished, or if they are, the penalties are insufficient to deter future violations. In contrast, India imposes life imprisonment for food adulteration, while in China the offence is punishable by death. Bangladesh too prescribes the death penalty or life imprisonment for similar crimes, yet the laws are seldom applied. Mobile courts occasionally fine offenders, but they often resume their activities soon afterwards. To protect citizens’ right to safe food, legal cases should be resolved swiftly, within a month and bail should not be granted to repeat offenders.
Safe and nutritious food is not merely a domestic issue but a global concern. Internationally, several legal frameworks and standards such as the Codex Alimentarius, ISO 22000, the EU Food Law (Regulation 178/2002) and the Global Food Safety Initiative have been developed to ensure consumer protection and fairness in food trade. These frameworks aim to safeguard public health and promote uniform standards for food production and processing worldwide. Every country, including Bangladesh, must align its systems with these global benchmarks.
Bangladesh is already a signatory to multiple international treaties and standards, including the World Trade Organisation’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement, Codex Alimentarius and ISO 22000, particularly concerning food exports and consumer safety. As a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Bangladesh follows the quality standards set by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution and the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority, both of which base their guidelines on Codex principles. The Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority are jointly responsible for ensuring food security and mitigating health risks.
Many export-oriented industries, particularly those involved in food processing, are certified under the ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System and implement the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point standards, especially for fish, meat and processed food exports. Compliance with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and SPS is mandatory for shrimp and fish exports to the European Union and the United States. The National Food Safety Policy has also been formulated and mobile courts have been deployed alongside the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to combat food adulteration.
To strengthen these efforts, the government must enhance market surveillance and conduct regular inspections to ensure proper enforcement of laws. Offenders involved in adulteration must face strict punishment and public awareness campaigns should encourage consumers to make informed choices about food quality. The establishment of modern laboratories and mobile testing units is essential to detect contamination efficiently. Above all, administrative bodies must be freed from corruption to restore integrity in food governance.
If laws are properly enforced, we can ensure food that is safe, wholesome and pure. The enactment of new, comprehensive measures will be necessary to guarantee food security, public health and national wellbeing. A healthy and prosperous future for Bangladesh depends on ensuring that every citizen has access to clean, safe and nutritious food and water.
Ìý
Dr Md Raziur Rahman is an associate professor and chairman of Law department at Gopalganj Science and Technology University.