Experts stress food fortification to curb hidden hunger in Bangladesh

Experts at a roundtable discussion underscored food fortification as one of the most cost-effective and sustainable solutions to address widespread micronutrient malnutrition in Bangladesh, where more than half of young children and nearly three-quarters of non-pregnant women suffer from multiple micronutrient deficiencies.

The roundtable discussion, titled "Prospects and Opportunities of Large-Scale Food Fortification in Bangladesh," was hosted by The Business Standard and organised by Millers for Nutrition, powered by TechnoServe, and held today (21 December).

The event brought together policymakers, development practitioners, food industry representatives and nutrition experts.

The discussion featured a detailed presentation by Md Guljer Ahmmed, country programme manager of TechnoServe, titled "Prospects of Food Fortification to Address Micronutrient Malnutrition in Bangladesh."

Citing the National Micronutrient Survey 2019–2020, the presentation revealed that 56.8% of children aged 6–59 months and 72.9% of non-pregnant, non-lactating women in Bangladesh experience deficiencies in more than one essential micronutrient.

Such deficiencies contribute to stunting, wasting, anaemia, night blindness, weakened immunity and reduced productivity.

Speakers identified major risk factors behind micronutrient malnutrition, including monotonous diets, low intake of animal-source foods, poor dietary diversity, poverty, recurrent infections, inadequate breastfeeding practices, and seasonal food insecurity.

These challenges, they argued, require comprehensive and complementary policy responses.

The presentation reviewed Bangladesh's progress in fortifying staple foods, particularly salt, rice, wheat flour, and edible oil.

Bangladesh has a long-standing salt iodisation programme, strengthened by the Iodised Salt Act 2021 and updated BSTI standards, ensuring iodine levels of 30–50 ppm at production and 20–50 ppm at retail.

Significant gains were also reported in rice fortification. As of December 2024, fortified rice distribution covered 440 sub-districts, reaching approximately 12 million people.

More than 200 fortified rice blending units and 14 fortified rice kernel (FRK) industries have been established nationwide.

Several private companies, including ACI and Jahan Food & Agro, have already introduced fortified rice into the commercial market.

While wheat flour fortification remains voluntary in Bangladesh, recent commercial initiatives by ACI and IFAD signal growing private sector engagement.

However, speakers cautioned that voluntary fortification alone is unlikely to achieve sufficient population coverage without stronger regulatory commitment.

In the edible oil sector, around 95% of packaged oil is adequately fortified with vitamin A, though challenges persist in bulk oil fortification, quality control and enforcement.

Mir Shakrul Alam Simanto, managing director of Ruposhi Rice and Pushti Mills Limited, said, "Despite ongoing initiatives, public awareness about fortified food remains very low, stressing the need for large-scale awareness campaigns through mass media and social platforms."

Moin Uddin Masud, general secretary of the Bangladesh Flour Mills Owners Association, emphasised that strong and active government involvement is essential to raise public awareness and successfully implement large-scale welfare programmes.

Sayed Julfiqur Mahmud, president of the Bangladesh Fortified Rice Mill Association, said, "The sustainable expansion of fortified rice in Bangladesh is not possible without clear policy approval and strong ownership from the government."

He pointed out that inconsistent positions among different government offices have created uncertainty, slowing the growth of the sector.

"At present, Bangladesh has nearly 170 fortified rice processing mills and around 1,000 government rice mills, yet the initiative has failed to scale up at the desired pace due to limited institutional support," he added.

Prof Md Shoeb, member (Food Industry and Production) of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, said, "Food fortification is critical to addressing widespread malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among the Bangladeshi population."

He noted that many people remain unaware of fortified foods, including vitamin A-fortified edible oil, and rarely read product labels, even though micronutrient deficiencies contribute to stunting and wasting among children.

Citing research by IPHN and icddr,b, Shoeb said that around 67% of the population suffers from vitamin D deficiency, which can cause various health complications.

Zakir Ibne Hai, chief operating officer of ACI Foods, has underscored the need for sustained behavioural change, stronger policy enforcement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to improve food security and nutrition outcomes in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on salt iodisation.
"Behavioural change across a large ecosystem does not happen overnight," Hai said at a discussion forum. "But with coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, the pace of change can be significantly accelerated."

Referring to Bangladesh's earlier successes in family planning, child education, and water and sanitation campaigns, he described them as "classic Global South communication models" that demonstrate the country's ability to drive large-scale social change through effective public engagement. "We have similar opportunities in nutrition and food fortification today," he added.

Hai noted that current interventions largely reach only the top 4–4.5 percent of the population, leaving the majority at the bottom of the pyramid underserved. Citing international experience, including the Philippines, he said monitoring alone may not be enough. "Many believe Bangladesh now needs stricter and more consistent policy implementation," he said, acknowledging that technical and operational challenges often hinder enforcement.

Highlighting ACI Foods' 17–18 years of involvement in salt iodisation, Hai expressed concern over the continued sale of unrefined and adulterated salt. "Food safety is becoming as critical as nutrition, and both demand a system-wide solution," he said.

He concluded by calling for greater collaboration with universities, corporates and policymakers to build "a more progressive Bangladesh," and thanked The Business Standard and the Techno Sir platform for fostering discussions that go beyond business to address people and planetary well-being.

 Sorwar Hossen, chief of the Salt Cell at BSCIC, has stressed that strong government mandates, policy clarity and coordinated action are essential to ensure the long-term sustainability of food fortification programmes in Bangladesh, particularly for rice and edible oil.

"Food fortification cannot succeed in isolation. It requires coordinated efforts from the government, academia, universities, law enforcement agencies and relevant institutions," Hossen said while speaking at a discussion forum.

He noted that some early fortification initiatives, including rice fortification, struggled to sustain momentum, while the edible oil fortification programme has shown comparatively better progress. "For any programme to be sustainable, there must be a clear government mandate backed by policy and law," he said.

Highlighting investor concerns, Hossen said entrepreneurs are often reluctant to invest Tk100–200 crore without regulatory certainty. "Without a clear government commitment, investors fear that the programme may collapse once a project ends," he explained. "However, when policy support is strong, companies are willing to invest in modern technology and permanent infrastructure."

He cited major corporates such as City Group, Bashundhara and Pran-RFL as examples of firms that invested heavily due to regulatory confidence and government backing.

Hossen also underscored the need for a robust monitoring system from the policy level to districts to ensure quality standards. "Regulators should prioritise cooperation and technical support, not punishment," he said, adding that premature enforcement could discourage participation.

Creating consumer demand through public awareness, ensuring fair pricing, and maintaining regular coordination among stakeholders are also critical, he said, concluding that "with the right policy support and collective effort, food fortification can become a sustainable public health success."

Several other speakers at the roundtable also shared important insights on the prospects and challenges of scaling up food fortification in Bangladesh, highlighting strong private sector readiness alongside regulatory and coordination gaps.