Food Minister Afroza Khanam has called on officials and other stakeholders to uphold integrity, efficiency and accountability at every stage of the food supply chain, warning that negligence in duty or laxity in quality testing will not be tolerated.
She made the remarks on Sunday while inspecting MV Spring Sky, carrying wheat imported from the United States, at Patenga outer anchorage of Chattogram Port.
The minister stressed that imported food grains must be tested against prescribed parameters and quality standards, with decisions taken strictly on the basis of test results to prevent the acceptance or distribution of substandard supplies.
She also underscored the need for officials responsible for quality assessment to maintain professionalism, integrity and impartiality, noting that their reports form the basis for critical decisions on the acceptance of imported food grains.
Referring to the responsibility entrusted to her by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to oversee the country’s food management system, Afroza Khanam said she was committed to meeting public expectations and sought everyone’s prayers and cooperation in carrying out the responsibility.
She said effective coordination among all stakeholders was essential to ensure that imported food grains reached their destinations on time, retained the required quality and were stored properly.
The government would also work to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in food management, while addressing longstanding problems through practical planning, she added.
“The problems have been identified. Initiatives will now be taken to address them in phases, prioritising the most pressing issues. This will take some time,” the minister said.
Addressing officials and employees of the Food Department, she described ensuring food security as a vital public service responsibility and urged them to put public interests first while performing their duties with dedication and integrity.
She also said the professional competence, commitment and sense of responsibility demonstrated by officials and employees would receive due recognition.
Highlighting the food needs of ordinary citizens and the challenges faced by marginalised communities, Afroza Khanam said coordinated efforts were necessary to ensure that no one in the country suffered from food shortages and that food reached everyone in a timely manner.
She stressed that the active and responsible participation of all concerned was essential to making the country’s food management system more efficient and responsive to public needs.
The Director General of the Directorate General of Food, officials from the Food Department and representatives of the district administration were present during the inspection.
