Dhaka - Bangladesh imposed a ban on the sale and import of powder milk from China Monday after laboratory tests found samples contaminated by a chemical substance, officials said. The Ministry of Health also warned the people against the use of tainted powdered milk from three major Chinese companies for making local sweets and baby food.
A ministry spokesman said legal actions would be taken against the importing firms and local agents of the three Chinese firms - Guangdong Yashili Group, Qingdao Suncare Company and Sanlu Group - identified as selling milk laced with the chemical melamine.
Police went from store to store in Dhaka's crowded markets seizing the powdered milk which was also being sold as a baby food in fancy tins without the approval of the public health authorities, witnesses said.
The sale of sweetmeat has radically dropped despite the upcoming Islamic festival as consumers avoided powder milk for making dishes for the celebrations.
Bangladesh imports huge quantities of powdered milk worth millions of dollars annually from nine countries including China.
A media report said the contaminated Chinese powdered milk was exported in bulk to Bangladesh and at least four other countries.
"We are now testing all the brands of powdered milk being distributed and sold in the country," said Azmal Hossain head of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute in Dhaka.
Hossain said the institute was testing samples from 12 foreign dairy companies.
The Chinese brands Yashili 1 and Yashili 2 which were marketed as baby food was tested positive and were removed from the shelves of shops.
