Civil society representatives have urged for the withdrawal of commercial approval for all genetically modified crops and food items, including Bt brinjal, and for the non-approval of golden rice, citing the broader interests of the country and its populace.
They made the calls in a letter, addressed to the secretaries of the ministries of environment, forests and climate change, as well as agriculture, and to the directors of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, said a press release on Monday.
Citing media reports published on April 4, the release stated that the International Rice Research Institute and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute held a meeting with high government officials to introduce golden rice, emphasising its enrichment with Vitamin A, and received encouraging signals.聽
A Philippine court instructed to stop the commercial cultivation of golden rice and Bt brinjal, while an Indian court rejected the approval of
Bt brinjal, stating concerns that it would only benefit the company rather than farmers and the general people, it read.聽
Highlighting Bangladesh鈥檚 position as one of the leading producers of rice and brinjal, the statement underscored the serious concern over the nation鈥檚 inclination towards relying on company-patented seeds rather than implementing pest control measures, which was described as 鈥榮uicidal.鈥�
Signatories included human rights activist Sultana Kamal, Nijera Kori coordinator Khushi Kabir, Transparency International Bangladesh executive director Iftekharuzzaman, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association chief executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Association for Land Reform and Development executive director Shamsul Huda.