It is the constitutional mandate of the government, as outlined in section 18 (1), to ensure quality food for the public. Fulfilling that mandate means adopting effective measures to prevent harmful foods from the reaching the market.

This series of articles, which ends today, has found widespread and alarming flaws in the government's dispensation of duty. The regulatory system, far from being a united and vigilant custodian of public health, appears more as a mosaic of faltering agencies, each lacking adequate monitoring staffs, together suffering from poor inter-communication, and all allowing safety to slip through the cracks.

The Health ministry is the key authority in regulating adulterated readymade food. But, as with many other regulatory bodies, the ministry is short of hands, with only 400 members to ensure food safety for a population of more than 14 crore people. As a consequence, the ministry is unable to conduct its affairs properly, critics say.

Mizanur Rahman Sinha, the state minister for Health and Family Welfare, refused to comment on this issue.

"I do not want to say anything about this," he told The Daily Star.

Many ministers and several government officials concerned refused to speak with the correspondent about this issue.

Other government agencies suffer from similar staff constraints. The Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) is responsible for ensuring the quality of all food products throughout the country, but has only 13 field officers to carry out this colossal duty. In Dhaka, only 18 sanitary inspectors of the City Corporation are tasked with ensuring the food quality for more than ten million people.

In addition to their individual constraints, these agencies also lack proper communication lines with one another, critics say.

"Even though the government agencies are working, they do not have co-ordination among each other," said Qauzi Faruque, the general secretary of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB).

The government has recently made efforts to crackdown on adulterated food. Following reports published in The Daily Star, the home ministry formed mobile courts and instantly jailed several people for spraying poisonous chemicals on mangoes and other fruits.

"We have ordered to take actions against the culprits," the state minister for home affairs told reporters following a meeting at the ministry on Wednesday.

Critics welcome these efforts, but say that, without strong laws and a strong regulatory system, the real masterminds and moneymakers will remain free.

"Not only is the government not formulating new strict laws, even the existing laws also are not being implemented. So the culprits always remain out of touch," said Faruque of CAB.

A solution exists, critics say, but the political will necessary to implement it remains in short supply, much like the government's staff.

In 1995, the government drafted the Consumer Rights Protection Law, which calls for a special tribunal to try those accused of adulterating food. Various civic organisations, including CAB, have been pushing for years for passage of the law, hoping it will give more teeth to the prosecution of crimes and ensure regular monitoring.

But its passage has dragged on for more than a decade. In January, the law was finally passed in a cabinet meeting, but again it was delayed, and now remains shelved in the law ministry.

Despite repeated attempts, the law minister could not be reached for comments.

Some proponents of the law say the business community may be to blame for the delay. "I do not know the reasons why the government has not formulated the law. But some quarter of the business communities may oppose the law," said Professor Anawar Hossain, the convenor of the law's draft committee.

Members of the business community disagree, however, saying the law would be beneficial to them as well as consumers. "This law is necessary for the enhancement of business in the country and the business community tried hard to implement the law," said Monjur Ahmed, advisor to the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI).

Ahmed, who represented the business community in the draft committee of the law, speculated, however, that others in the business community may be against it. "But it would create obstacles to a certain quarter of business community."

While the passage of the law stalls, the public is waiting. When interviewed for this series, common people have repeatedly urged the government to crackdown on adulterated food. It is not only a matter of the present, they say, but the future.

"The government should stop this practice, otherwise our future generations will suffer from deficiencies. They should realize the situation," said Sharifa Khatun, a housewife from Azimpur, underscoring the long-term effects of unchecked adulterated food.

Failing to do so will have grave repercussions, experts warn. Dr. Saiful Islam, a prominent child disease expert, warned that adulterated food poses serious health hazards to children.

"The impact of adulterated food upon children is very serious. If a minor boy or girl consumes DDT [a toxic chemical used in pesticides] or carcinogens mixed in food, they could suffer from cancer and genetic damage. The chance is very high," he said.