A Dhaka mobile court fined two puffed rice producing factories at Gobindapur at Shanir Akhra in the capital on Wednesday for using chemicals injurious to human health.
The court also fined them a total of Tk 1 lakh and jailed two people of the factories.
The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution launched the mobile court with the help of Dhaka district administration, police and Rapid Action Battalion on the occasion of the forthcoming Ramadan.
A BSTI press release said that the mobile court was led by executive magistrate Mohammad Al-Amin under Bangladesh Pure Food Ordinance 1959 and the Bangladesh Pure Food (amendment) Act.
The court found Makka Food Products of the area to produce puffed rice using Hydroge (Sodium Hydro-Sulphide) which is severely harmful for human health and its use on food items is strongly prohibited.
The court jailed the factory owner Md Abu Siddiq Master, 50, for six months, fined him Tk 50,000 and destroyed about 3,000kg puffed rice.
The court, later, went to Khaja Food Products of the area and also found the factory to produce puffed rice using the same harmful chemical.
The court jailed the factory-in-charge Md Selim for one month on charges of proposing bribe to the court, fined another employee Md Julhas Tk 50,000.
The court also ordered the factory to destroy its 6,600kg puffed rice, the release added.
Source : New Age
