Bangladesh will soon establish a state-of-the-art national food safety laboratory in Dhaka, backed by Japan and JICA, as part of a broader drive to build a skilled workforce and modernise its food testing infrastructure to unlock global export potential.
Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder made the announcement at a seminar titled “Modern Food Safety System in Bangladesh” held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Monday.
“This new lab will serve as the national reference facility under the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA),” he said, adding that it will be accompanied by a new office building and a dedicated training centre to build capacity among food officials and industry workers.
Majumder noted that despite high demand for Bangladeshi food products abroad, weak compliance with international food safety standards continues to limit export growth.
“If we can ensure safe and quality food, our access to international markets will rise sharply, boosting our income from food and agriculture,” he said.
To decentralise oversight, the government is also planning divisional food labs and inspection offices in Chattogram and Khulna, he added.
Japanese Ambassador Shinichi Saida, speaking as a special guest, welcomed food safety as a new chapter in Bangladesh–Japan cooperation, alongside energy, agriculture and infrastructure. He said the Japanese government has already signed a loan agreement with Bangladesh for upgrading food testing infrastructure and is providing technical support through JICA.
Citing Japan’s move from punitive to guidance-based inspections, he stressed the need for a unified licensing system and clearly defined responsibilities across ministries. “Food safety is not the task of a single agency — it must be a coordinated national effort,” he said.
The ambassador also urged Bangladesh to appoint a sufficient number of trained inspectors and laboratory professionals to ensure the new infrastructure achieves its purpose.
Chairing the session, Food Secretary Md Masudul Hasan said short-term and partial reforms are not enough.
“What we need is a full-fledged, modern food safety system — and BFSA with JICA’s STIRC project is working to deliver that,” he said.
BFSA Chairman Zakaria, in his welcome speech, thanked Japan and JICA for their consistent support in improving food safety standards.
In his keynote presentation, Manjur Morshed Ahmed, director of the Institute of Food Science and Technology at BCSIR, said nearly 200 diseases are linked to unsafe food globally. He cited WHO data showing that around 1.6 million people fall ill across the world each day due to contaminated food.
He warned that without ensuring food safety, Bangladesh risks falling short of key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on poverty, hunger, and public health.
The seminar brought together policymakers, regulators, business leaders, donors, researchers, and journalists, reflecting a growing national consensus on the urgent need for a science-based, modern food safety framework.