Adulterated Fish
It is difficult to find people who do not know this proverb,” Mache vate bangali”. The link of fish with the heritage of Bengalis is found from the beginning. Pohela Boishakh or any other occasion there must an item with fish. There are many kinds of fish in the river and canals of this riverine country. Fish has the best nutrients. This is a significant source of animal protein. Fats, calcium, vitamins, iron, phosphorus, and other useful ingredients contain in fish. Fish attachments on daily food lists keep the family safe from malnutrition and disease. The city-centric attitude of the current people has forced them to rely on fishermen, markets, and dealers to meet the needs of fish.
Adulterated Fish
And with the scope of this dependence, some crooked businessmen have been involved in the dirty business of adulterated fish. Formalin’s name is now known by the grace of the fish traders. In other countries, this formalin is used to protect the dead body and dead animals from infection and traction, to remove the skin tone and make the color durable or explosive.
But in our country, its application is even more different. Such as, keeping fish or meat for a long time, keeping vegetables and fruits fresh, etc. Fishes from different parts of the country are collected and these fish tend to reach Dhaka by 2/3 days’ time. Naturally, there is a tendency to get lost due to long periods of time. Since the cost and the hassle are more to save the fish in the right way. So fish traders have chosen a method of easy and low-cost – formalin application.
These fish offered by formalin are being sold at low prices but Buyers are buying at a higher price and the dealers get extra profit.
Adulterated fish are harmful to health. Fishery scientist Dr. Nurullah said that in 2004, the use of formalin began in fish. The presence of formalin was found in 90% of the fish. The poisonous substance is used outside the fish a few days ago. But due to public awareness and anti-adulteration campaigns, formalin has also been applied in different ways. Since it is dissolved in water, the formation of an ice cube is made with formalin mixed water.
Because of this, there are many types of tests that do not match formalin’s existence in the fish. But, silently, it is already doing damage to the masses. The maximum amount of formalin in the country has been recorded at 4.70 ppm, but the study says 0.05 levels of formalin also enter the body through breathing. It causes diseases like asthma, allergies, nerve weakness, and diarrhea.
These poisons entered the body with food and cause liver damage, heart disease, nerve problems, kidney disease, digestive problems, mental disorders, and many other complex diseases. The application of unhygienic ingredients like jelly, sago, fatty water, lead shoots, era rotes, magic balls injected shrimp. In these shrimp, these things are shown in larger sizes and more in weight. Before brought into the market, thry try to increase their weight in unethical ways.
We have lost international markets for these poorly adulterated activities, although there is a great demand for shrimp in many countries of the world including the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Inner contamination is as harmful as outer contamination. One study found that more than 200 chemicals were found in fish feeds. Tannery waste to dry fish which contains the toxic substance called chromium is used as a food for fish. The use of poultry wastage in the fish firms, Poultry medicine, and chemicals are entered in fish.
Hildal, DDT, antibiotics, and excessive medicine makes the fish poisonous. According to Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute data from 2005 to 2010, 34 billion dollar shrimp were sent back from the European Union for the presence of excessive chemicals and poor food value.
These unhealthy adulterated fish foods are pushing us towards many diseases like constipation, liver diseases, blindness, lack of oxygen in the blood, memory loss, reproductive disorders, and damage to the immune system. Children are also victims of complex diseases and interrupted physical & mental development. If the voice is not raised against adulterated fish, it will be difficult to protect our future generation.
Grateful to:
Daily Prothom Alo, Bangla News 24, NTV, Bangladesh Protidin, Daily Al-Ihsan, Bonik Barta, NewNoya Diganta, Jago News 24.
