Sir,
I wish to draw the attention of the relevant authorities towards a major problem in the city of Dhaka. All over the city, substandard food items are being sold and traders are selling them without any fear or sense of ethics. Unhealthy food poses serious risk to the health of people. Besides, vendors of cooked food items do not cover them, so they are exposed to pollution causing harm to consumers. In the city's Motijheel area some are selling foods affixing a 'health certificate,' claimed to have been issued by the ICDDR,B, on their handcarts. They also claim that the aforesaid government organization has trained them up on how to prepare and serve street foods to the customers in a hygienic manner. But the great irony is that they themselves are preparing, selling and serving food items in an unhygienic environment. Therefore from where have they availed those certificates? Will the concerned quarters for public health give an eye to those vendors?
The authorities concerned must take prompt action against such vendors and implement a process whereby regular health and safety surveys are conducted at every food establishment in the city, big or small. Those who fail to meet hygiene requirements must then be subjected to fines and their businesses should be closed until requirements are met.
Ahmed Kabir
Motijheel, Dhaka