HC directs BSTI to submit milk company particulars on Tuesday

The High Court gave the Bangladesh Standards Testing Institute (BSTI) 24 hours to submit the particulars of companies and firms producing and supplying milk and curd, with or without license, in Dhaka.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and KM Hafizul Alam issued the directive on Monday.

Barrister Sarkar MR Hassan erepresents BSTI and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik, with Assistant Attorney General Helena Begum, represented the State.

Also Read - HC asks BSTI to test pasteurized milk at 4 labs

State lawyer Manik said the HC initially wanted the report submitted on Monday, the same day as the court hearing.

But the BSTI lawyer sought more time to submit the report. The Court duly allowed a day's time and asked BSTI to submit the report on Tuesday morning. 

On Sunday, another HC bench directed the BSTI to test pasteurized milk produced by all 14 registered companies in the market, and to submit the lab reports separately by July 23.

Earlier on June 23, the High Court had given two weeks time to BSTI to submit the particulars of companies and firms producing and supplying milk and curd, with or without licenses in Dhaka, and also the names of those doing business with valid licenses. 

Also Read - Fresh DU study again finds antibiotics in milk samples

Earlier, the High Court had ordered the testing of raw cow milk, curd, and fodder in the market, following rampant milk adulteration in Bangladesh.

On May 21, the same bench ordered the BSTI and the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), to submit lab reports by June 23. The court issued the order at the hearing of a suo moto ruling issued on February 11.

Earlier on May 15, the court ordered BSTI and BFSA to submit their report on May 21, when they failed to submit it within 15 days of the suo moto ruling of February 11.

Also Read - There’s something in the milk

On May 21, Prof Shahnila Ferdousi, chief of National Food Safety Laboratory (NFSL), appeared in court and handed in only a report listing the companies or persons responsible for producing adulterated milk and milk products.

In NFSL's report, the names of 30 curd-producing companies, 30 fodder suppliers, 31 packet milk and 96 raw cow milk producers, and several persons, were mentioned with respect to products containing toxic materials.