Experts for increasing public awareness on more use of iodized salt

Experts at a workshop here put emphasis on increasing awareness to encourage more people to use iodized salt as iodine is an essential nutrient for normal, mental and physical growth of human being.

“Currently, iodine deficiency is one of the problems of malnutrition in the country . . . As its deficiency causes various problems, including galaganda (goiter), habagoba, dwarfism, premature abortion, physical and mental disabilities,” Head of Basic Salt Cell  of BSCIC Sarwar Hossain told the workshop as key speaker.

In order to solve the problem of iodine deficiency, the government has been running public iodized salt production programme through Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) under the Ministry of Industry since 1990, he said.
As a result of this programme, 76% of households are currently using iodized salt and it is now possible to eradicate visible goiter, Sarwar Hossain added.

With the support of Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a development partner, the BSCIC organized the Workshop on “Iodized Salt Act-2021” at the conference room of its (BSCIC) Rajshahi regional office, said an official release this evening.
 
BSCIC Chairman Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Khan was present as the chief guest in the workshop while Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Rajshahi Afia Akhtar presided over the workshop as a special guest.

Taking part in the discussion, the experts said the rate of iodine deficiency problem was 68.90% at the beginning of iodized salt production in the country in 1993.

Subsequently, due to the frantic efforts and massive awareness campaign of all concerned the rate of iodine deficiency problems has decreased by 24.6% till 2019-20.

BSCIC district office Rajshahi Deputy General Manager Md Rafiqul Islam, heads of 16 districts of BSCIC Rajshahi region, BSTI, Safe Food Authority, National Directorate of Consumer Protection, District Fisheries and Livestock, representatives of various public and private departments and members of print and electronic media were also present in the workshop.

Earlier, a video documentary on the importance of iodine was also presented there.  About 60 people including officials of public and private institutions, salt traders, consumers, representatives of print and electronic media were present there.