DHAKA, Feb 8, 2025 (BSS) - The government has initiated a big move to 
implement a Taka 2,409.70 crore project to set up one reference laboratory in 
Dhaka and two divisional laboratories in Chattogram and Khulna along with 
construction of buildings, other infrastructures to bolster the food safety 
efforts.

Bangladesh Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Food will implement 
the project in this regard titled "Food Safety Testing Capacity Development 
Project" with an estimated cost of Taka 2,409.70 crore to be completed by 
December 2034.

Of the total project cost, Taka 390.78 crore will come from the government of 
Bangladesh portion while the rest of Taka 2,018.92 crore as loan from the 
Japan Debt Cancellation Fund (JDCF).

The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic 
Council (ECNEC) recently held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-
e-Bangla Nagar area.

Talking to BSS, a Planning Commission official said that the main objective 
of the project is to set up one reference laboratory, office and training 
building in Dhaka and two divisional testing labs and office buildings in 
Chattogram and Khulna to enhance the concerned authority's safe food testing 
capacity.

Since Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in the world while 60 
percent of its population lives in the rural areas, they are susceptible to 
various food-borne diseases and fall in to risk of food safety due to high 
population density, lack of awareness on science-based food production and 
supply system, food supply chain infrastructures, the official said.
 
Diarrhea, typhoid and hepatitis are some of the food-borne diseases while 
perceiving this the interim government has taken initiative to establish 
international standard public reference food testing laboratory in order to 
test the standard of quality of foods through scientific method.

The official said this would be an integral part of the food safety authority 
while there is an urgent need to frame a disciplined system in the future to 
introduce licensing system in food business, framing food testing and 
directives across the country, enforcing strict vigilance, enhancing 
awareness among food business operators and imparting them proper training, 
providing 'health certificate' for import and export of foods.

The project has been undertaken considering all the import aspects of health 
and food safety, the official added.

Commenting on the project, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud in the last 
ECNEC meeting said that food safety is a very important aspect for any 
country of the world.

"We've initiated this big project where there would be international 
standards testing labs for ensuring food safety. International standard 
technology will be used in these labs," he added.

The Planning Adviser noted that earlier in the past there were problems with 
the safety standards of Bangladeshi exportable items like agro products and 
shrimp towards expanding the export market.

Besides, he said there were no such international standard food safety 
measures in the country except BSTI which deals with some items.
 
Dr. Mahmud also said that the development partner of the project JICA has 
assured that international standard technologies and methods would be used in 
these foods testing labs once the project is completed.

The main project operations include construction of one seven-storey building 
complex (25,550 square meter) in Dhaka with reference laboratory, training 
center and office complex, construction of two separate four-storey food 
testing labs and offices (4,100 square meter each), and ensuring necessary 
technological support to boost the capacity of the officials and employees of 
Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and laboratory staff.

Through implementation of this project, an international standard full-
fledged and effective training center would be set up through which skilled 
manpower would be groomed by providing training on food safety management, 
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP).

Besides, food safety basic course would be offered to the food business 
operators, Training of Trainers (TOT) will be imparted to the food safety 
officers, inspectors, regulatory officials, food experts, management officers 
and stakeholders.