Speakers at a journalists' workshop in the capital have stressed the need for introducing mandatory warning-based Front-of-Package Labelling (FOPL) to reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Bangladesh.
The two-day workshop, titled "Front-of-Package Labelling in Bangladesh Importance, Progress and the Way Forward," was organised by PROGGA with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator at the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Bhaban on 18-19 May. Twenty-seven journalists from print, television and online media attended the programme.
Speakers said processed and ultra-processed packaged foods high in sugar, salt and trans-fat are increasing the risks of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), unhealthy diets are among the leading preventable causes of deaths linked to NCDs.
The workshop highlighted that nearly 570,000 people die from NCDs annually in Bangladesh, accounting for around 71 percent of all deaths, while 19 percent occur prematurely.
A nationwide survey conducted in 2025 among 974 people found that about 97 percent consumed packaged foods at least once a week. Another analysis of 105 processed and ultra-processed food products revealed that 63 percent contained excessive salt levels.
Speakers also noted that a 2023 study of packaged foods from 24 brands found most products exceeded WHO-recommended limits for sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, while label information on saturated fat, trans-fat, sugar and salt was often incomplete or unclear.
Professor Dr Mohammad Shoeb of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) said work is underway to introduce FOPL in the country to raise consumer awareness and reduce NCD risks.
Samina Israt, Programme Officer (Diet-Related Risk Factors) at the World Health Organization, said, "In Bangladesh, the introduction of Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) is a WHO-recommended cost-effective public health intervention to address the rising burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that promotes healthier dietary behaviors across all population groups."
Experts said that FOPL would help consumers make healthier food choices and encourage manufacturers to improve product formulations.
