The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education of Bangladesh has issued an urgent directive to ensure proper implementation of the government’s primary school feeding program. The order, dated May 13 and announced on Saturday, warns that legal and departmental action will be taken if any distribution of substandard or spoiled food is proven. The ministry cited reports of rotten bread, spoiled eggs, and poor-quality bananas being supplied to schools, posing health risks to children and undermining the program’s goals.

The directive instructs head teachers to verify the quality and quantity of food before acceptance and distribution. It emphasizes that all food items must meet prescribed standards, be stored properly, and be distributed on time. Specific guidelines were issued for bread, eggs, bananas, UHT milk, and fortified biscuits, including checks for freshness, packaging integrity, production and expiry dates, and net weight.

The ministry further stated that no low-quality or defective food should be accepted under any circumstances. Any negligence or irregularity will lead to disciplinary and legal measures, and suppliers must be reported immediately to higher authorities.