Mobile lab finds no harmful chemical on fish at Karwan Bazar

The mobile laboratory of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) has not found the presence of any harmful chemicals on fish sold at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market.  

A team of the mobile lab, led by BFSA Executive Magistrate SM Shantunu Chowdhury, on Wednesday collected ten samples of different species of fish, including Rui, Boal, Pangas, Kachki and Hilsha, from different shops at the kitchen market. 

Later, they immediately performed the tests, which took no longer than four minutes per test.

However, they did not find any harmful chemicals like formalin on any of the fish samples.

Lab analyst Sharif Mahmud said, "We have good results from the tests. There was no formalin on the fish. Nevertheless, we will again test the samples in the main laboratory for further confirmation." 

SM Shantunu said, "Today we tested fish only because there is a pervasive idea among common people that traders put formalin on fish to keep them fresh. That is why, we performed the tests publicly."  

Photo: Rehman Asad/TBS

If they find any evidence of mixing chemicals with food items, they will sue the persons responsible, the executive magistrate added. 

With the launching of the mobile lab, the public expressed their satisfaction.  Many buyers, who came to Karwan Bazar to buy fish, said they could not trust on anything in the market. 

They said if such food tests happen publicly, dishonest traders will refrain from adulterating food and consumers will buy food without any tension.    

Buyer Abul Hossain, who was present at the kitchen market during the collection of fish samples, told The Business Standard, "I know that traders mix formalin with fish, but I have not seen such tests before.

"I will buy fish after knowing the test results. Hence, I kept my eyes on the shops from where fish samples were collected," he added.