The government plans clear warnings on the front of packets of ultra-processed foods high in sugar, salt or saturated fat. Under the system, known as front-of-package labelling (FOPL), shoppers would no longer need to search through long ingredient lists.
The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority has drafted the Safe Food (Packaged Food Labelling) Regulations, 2026, which propose a mandatory warning in a black octagon on products with excessive sugar, salt or saturated fat. After public consultation and review, the draft was sent to the Ministry of Food for finalisation on 30 June; it will then go to the law ministry before the authority issues a gazette notification.
"The draft regulations are now with the food ministry. Once the law ministry finalises them, the Food Safety Authority will issue the notification. We are hopeful it will be finalised soon," said Professor Dr Mohammad Shoeb, a member of the authority.
According to figures cited in the report, about 13.9 million people in Bangladesh have diabetes, one in four adults has high blood pressure, and about 283,000 people die of heart-related illness each year. One study found that 97 percent of people eat ultra-processed packaged food at least once a week, and that 63 percent of those foods are high in salt or sodium.
Some form of front-of-package labelling exists in 44 countries including Chile, Mexico and Uruguay; in 10 of them FOPL with warnings is mandatory.
"Finalising the FOPL regulations quickly is now a public health priority. The government must introduce strong, mandatory warning labels to secure consumers' right to know and to choose food knowingly," said ABM Zubair, executive director of the public health organisation PROGGA. Experts say the labels would also push manufacturers to cut sugar, salt and fat.
Source: Protidiner Sangbad
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