FBCCI has sought cooperation from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in establishing lab facilities at land, sea and international airports of the country. FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu made this call during a meeting held with representatives of JICA and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) on Thursday at FBCCI.
North-Eastern states of India have huge demand for Bangladeshi food and agro products. Therefore, accredited lab facilities at land ports will facilitate exporting these products to those states, the Senior Vice President noted. Airport and Seaports lab will aid Bangladesh in exploring global food market, Mr. Mostofa Azad Chowdhury further added. Hence, he urged JICA to come up with a financial and technical assistance project.
Vice President Md. Amin Helaly said, a significant part of the agricultural produce got tarnished due to poor supply chain and preservation system and also farmers deprived of fair prices. Therefore, Amin Helaly urged JICA to extend its assistance in food processing and preservation at upazilla level.
BFSA and JICA to jointly undertake a project for establishing a reference laboratory and training complex in the country, Rezaul Karim, a member of BFSA informed at the meeting. Teruaki Fujii, a representative from JICA head office stressed on ensuring safe food in order to achieve a sustainable food security. JICA’s upcoming project will create scope for the private sector food processing industry to flourish, he assured.
FBCCI Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque urged JICA to collaborate with FBCCI to set up private testing labs in the country. FBCCI directors Mohammad Anwar Sadat Sarker and Md. Rejaul Kariem Rejnu, CIP were also present at the meeting.
END/TDM/EHM
