HC asks BSTI not to run misleading milk ads

The High Court on Tuesday asked the lawyer of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) to stop publishing advertisements and reports on milk that might spread misleading information among the people, reports UNB.

The bench of justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and justice Iqbal Kabir gave the verbal order.

It also expressed dissatisfaction at the BSTI counsel's remarks that the court was satisfied with the BSTI report.

"We didn't pass any order or made any observations about the report but you told the media that we expressed satisfaction," the court told the BSTI lawyer.

It noted how Pran Group was quoting the court to praise qualities of its products after the BSTI lawyer's comment. "Who'll take responsibility if someone falls sick after drinking their milk?" the court asked.

14 July is fixed for the next hearing.

Lawyer Sarkar MR Hasan stood for BSTI and lawyer Tanvir Ahmed represented the writ petitioner.

Earlier, the court directed the authorities concerned to submit the report provided by Dhaka University's Pharmacy Faculty and Biomedical Research Centre on pasteurised milk.

On 21 May, the court asked BSTI to make a list of companies and file a report within a month after testing milk and dairy products across the country.

The order was issued after BSTI questioned a report by National Food Safety Laboratory which found chemicals in samples of liquid and powder milk and dairy products.

The icddr,b scientists on 16 May revealed that more than 75 per cent of all pasteurised milk available in the local market is unsafe for direct consumption.

On 25 June, lawyer Hasan submitted a report before the court. BSTI said no harmful elements were found in pasteurised milk of 14 companies.

On the same day, researchers announced to have found traces of antibiotics and detergent in pasteurised milk produced by five companies.