Most pharmacies in the capital have expired medicines in their shops, an official of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection disclosed on Monday.
He, however, made it clear that this does not mean all the medicines were found expired in those pharmacies.
"We have found expired medicine in 93% of pharmacies following a six-month investigation,” said Monjur Mohammad Shahriar, a deputy director at the consumer rights directorate.
Shahriar said this speaking at a roundtable discussion following the inauguration of an event held in observance of World Food Safety Day at the office of the Department of Agriculture Extension in the capital.
Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association (BSOA) and Bangladesh Food Safety Foundation jointly organized the event to celebrate the day for the first time since the United Nations General Assembly declared it in 2018.
Shahriar also said: “If department stores charge higher prices, other shops also follow in their footsteps. This is how prices have increased so much everywhere. So we have asked these stores to charge proper prices and they have responded well to our request.”
The deputy director also thanked the press for their support during the holy month of Ramadan.
Speaking at the event, former chairman of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, Mustaq Hassan Md Iftekhar, said food can be adulterated or contaminated in any of the stages from production to one's dining table.
"To ensure safe and nutritious food, we need a coordinated effort from all stakeholders, including various government departments,” he added.
Md Zakir Hossain, general Secretary of BSOA, moderated the discussion. Among others, representatives from several department stores and senior government officials from the food and agriculture sector also participated in the discussion.
