BSCIC marks World Iodine Day 2025 with seminar and Salt Cell inauguration

Iodine deficiency is a major public health issue. To raise awareness and combat this problem, World Iodine Day is observed in various countries on 21 October. In Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) organised a seminar and celebration on World Iodine Day 2025 on 21 October at the BSCIC Bhaban in Tejgaon, Dhaka.

Md Obaidur Rahman, Secretary of the Ministry of Industries, attended the seminar as the chief guest, while the event was chaired by BSCIC Chairman Md Saiful Islam. Special guests included Dr Nazmul Hossain, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Education. The keynote paper was presented by Dr Ashek Mahfuz, Portfolio Lead, Large Scale Food Fortification, GAIN Bangladesh.

Discussants at the seminar included Md Khairuzzaman, Director (Industrial Development & Expansion), BSCIC; Md Sarwar Hossain, Head of Salt Cell, BSCIC Dhaka; Md Gulzar Ahmed, Country Manager, Techno Serve Bangladesh; and Md Nurul Kabir, President of the Bangladesh Salt Mill Owners Association. Representatives from development partners, including Nutrition International (NI) and GAIN, also attended, along with officials from various ministries, public and private institutions, salt mill owners, consumers, and media representatives.

In his keynote, Dr Ashek Mahfuz noted that Canada was the first country to implement salt fortification, while Bangladesh added potassium iodate to salt later to ensure sustainability. He emphasised that iodine is not stored in the body and must be consumed daily. Without adequate iodine, intellectual development is impaired, even if goitre is not apparent.

Chief guest Md Obaidur Rahman highlighted the importance of iodine, stating, "Iodine is essential for normal physical and mental growth. Iodine deficiency is a major form of malnutrition in Bangladesh. Everyone must be aware of this issue, as awareness is key to eliminating iodine-related diseases."

Before the seminar, guests inaugurated the BSCIC Salt Cell, touring the facility along with journalists and other representatives.

Iodine deficiency can lead to goitre, stunted growth, miscarriage, and physical and mental disabilities. In the 1990s, iodine deficiency was prevalent in many regions of Bangladesh, particularly in the northern districts. To address this, the government initiated nationwide iodised salt production under the Ministry of Industries through BSCIC. The initiative includes salt mill registration, supply of potassium iodate, technical support, monitoring at mills and markets, and awareness campaigns.

As a result, 76% of households now use iodised packaged salt, effectively eliminating visible goitre and stunted growth. According to the 1993 National Nutrition Survey, 8.8% of people had visible goitre and 0.6% were stunted. After decades of effort, Bangladesh has eradicated visible goitre and stunting. Once 90% of a country's population uses iodised salt, the country attains global self-sufficiency in iodine consumption. Bangladesh is close to this milestone, with only 14% more of the population needing access to iodised salt. World Iodine Day, observed on 21 October, helps raise public awareness about iodine, and this seminar aimed to further that goal in Bangladesh.