DHAKA: The Safe Food Act-2013 will come into force on February 1, paving the way to stop widespread food adulteration through commissioning of separate courts for the disposal of food-related crimes.

Food minister Qamrul Islam came up with the development at a press conference in city’s Information directorate on Thursday.

Although enactment of the new law replaced the ‘Pure Food Ordinance 1959’, the unsolved issues under the ordinance will be disposed according to the previous law.

The Safe Food Act, which has categorized 23 offences, will give a provision of penalizing the criminals up to five years in jail or from Tk 400,000 to 2,000,000 as fines.

Initiatives have been taken to schedule the new law with ‘Mobile Court Act-2009’, the minister added.

However, the offences will include the adding poisonous ingredients, such as calcium carbide, formalin, sodium cyclamate, DDT and PCB to food items.

Moreover, a 30-member National Safe Food Management advisory council, led by the food minister, were formed regarding the formulation of safe food policy, Qamrul Islam added.

BDST: 1327 HRS, JAN 29, 2015