Experts for ensuring vitamin A fortified edible oil for all

Experts at a workshop today laid emphasis on ensuring vitamin A fortified edible oil for all alongside banning the sale of loose edible oil in open drums.

The workshop was organized with the participation of journalists in city’s BMA auditorium, said a press release.  

According to the National Micronutrient Survey 2011-12, every one out of five preschool-aged children suffers from vitamin ‘A’ deficiency while every two out of five children suffer from vitamin ‘D’ deficiency. 

The experts said that marketing of edible oil without vitamin ‘A’ fortification is a punishable offense as per the Vitamin A Enrichment in Edible Oils Act, 2013.

However, the general people are being deprived of the benefits of this act as most of the edible oil marketed in drums is not vitamin 'A'-fortified, they added.

According to a study conducted by icddr,b in 2017, 65 percent of the total edible oil sold in Bangladesh is marketed in drums, of which 59 percent doesn’t contain vitamin A, while 34 percent is poorly vitamin A fortified. 

Only 7 percent of the bulk oil sold in drums meets the standard as per the law, said the study.
 
The workshop was jointly organized by the research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh. Twenty-seven journalists from print, television, and online media houses participated in the workshop.

Fakir Muhammad Munawar Hossain, Director (Operation & Laboratory), Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection, Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of Epidemiology & Research Department, National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute, Ashek Mahfuz, Portfolio Lead for Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) and Value Chain, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Mir Masrur Zaman, Senior News Editor, Channel i and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA were present at the event as discussants. 

The key presentations were presented by Abu Ahmed Shamim, Associate Scientist, James P Grant School of Public Health; Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar (former Additional Secretary), Consultant, Dr. Rina Rani Paul, Program Manager, Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) Country Advocacy Bangladesh, National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute and Md Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs, PROGGA.