The Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh has just given the green light to the new Iodised Salt Act 2020 act aimed at improving the monitoring and efficacy of the country’s salt iodisation programme.
During the past decades, Bangladesh has done a remarkable job bringing down once-epidemic numbers of goitre and thyroid disease. In the mid-1990s, around 47% of the population suffered from goitre. Today, that number falls well below 6%.
It would be considered an offense for anyone to import, produce, market or stock salt without registering beforehand.
In order to better regulate and monitor legislation introduced in the mid-1990s mandating the use of iodine in the country’s salt supply, on Wednesday, 7th October 2020, Bangladesh’s Cabinet announced that it would be considered an offense for anyone to import, produce, market or stock salt without registering beforehand. H.E. Honourable Prime Minister of the Government of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting.
The Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh has just given the green light to the new Iodised Salt Act 2020 act aimed at improving the monitoring and efficacy of the country’s salt iodisation programme. © Shutterstock
This is a milestone achievement in the way to achieve Universal Salt Iodisation (USI) in Bangladesh.
We congratulate the Government of Bangladesh for putting nutrition as one of priority agenda aligning it with the Sustainable Development Goals and contributing to people lives, livelihoods and productivity.
In 2016, with continuous support from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), UNICEF and Nutrition International (NI), the Ministry of Industries (MOInd) began amending the Salt Law.
GAIN closely worked with the Ministry of Industries, BSCIC, UNICEF, NI and other stakeholders as part of the technical advisory group to draft the new Iodized Salt Act 2020. The new Act will increase and incentivise compliance, as well as strengthen the ability of the regulatory authorities to enforce salt iodisation.
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Bangladesh Country Director Dr. Rudaba Khondker lauds the move, "We congratulate the Government of Bangladesh under the leadership of H.E. Honourable Prime Minister for putting nutrition as one of priority agenda aligning it with the Sustainable Development Goals and contributing to people lives, livelihoods and productivity."