Dear Sir,
With the onset of winter, markets across the country are flooded with a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Cabbage, cauliflower, radish, tomato, carrot, beans, red spinach, oranges, apples, and grapes make winter a season of nutrition. Nearly 40 percent of the country's total vegetable production reaches the market during this time. Unfortunately, some profit-driven traders are using formalin and other harmful chemicals to preserve these foods.
Formalin, a solution of formaldehyde and water, is commonly used for industrial purposes and for preserving dead bodies. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have classified formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term consumption of formalin-contaminated food can cause serious health problems, including respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal complications, and damage to the liver and kidneys.
Although the use of formalin in food is legally punishable, enforcement remains weak. Mobile court drives provide only temporary relief due to inadequate monitoring, limited laboratory facilities, and lack of public awareness. Moreover, the absence of a modern cold chain system forces traders to rely on harmful chemicals.
Regular market monitoring, stricter enforcement of food safety laws, and greater consumer awareness are urgently needed. Without immediate action, this silent poison will endanger public health and future generations.
Lotus Jahangir
Student, Department of History, University of Rajshahi
