Ambassadors and Councillors, like all GHI members, do not represent their employers.
Membership is individual and contributions to GHI are based on the scientific conscience of the members.
Ambassador’s
Dr. Md. Sazedul Hoque
Associate Professor
Patuakhali Science and Technology University
Bangladesh
Md. Zahid Houssain
Mentor at the American Society for Microbiology
Bangladesh
Ambassadors’ Reports
Dr. Md. Sazedul Hoqu:
- Share/disseminate the international food safety information to the national or regional level.
- Report/share the local food safety scenario in the GHI or other international platform.
- Dialogue with national policy maker for harmonization of international food safety laws and legislations.
- Translate International food safety documents to local languages. (recently made)
- Bangladesh is a highly dense populated developing country containing with limited food production and inadequate facilities for proper food handling, transportation, storage, safety aspect, quality control and risk analysis which is public health concern. Post-harvest handling, nutrition and health, chemical-physical and microbiological food hazard/contaminants, value-chain system, safety and quality aspect of food are public health concern in Bangladesh. Thus with GHI, I could contribute in publishing the book chapter magazine, journals or other related documents; Participate and share knowledge and information in ambassador’s meeting; Actively participate in different working group (WG) activities; Updating the food national/regional food safety laws and legislation.
Md. Zahid Houssain
Why global harmonization of food safety and nutrition laws is important for Bangladesh:
Differences in food safety and nutrition regulations across borders that cannot be scientifically justified result in the unnecessary destruction of safe, nutritious food while millions go hungry globally. For a rapidly developing nation like Bangladesh, aligning local food standards with a globally harmonized, science-based regulatory framework is crucial to eliminating food waste, strengthening cross-border trade, and securing regional food and nutrition safety.
My goals as GHI Ambassador:
- Advance Scientific Consensus: Bridge the gap between local Bangladeshi regulatory authorities and GHI’s international scientific network to ensure local regulations are backed by robust, globally accepted science.
- Promote Food Security & Waste Reduction: Drive initiatives aimed at reducing the unnecessary destruction of wholesome food products by advocating for consistent global standards.
- Expand the Research Ecosystem: Actively connect Bangladeshi food scientists, academics, and researchers with global peer-review and consensus-building opportunities.
Actionable Plans as Ambassador
To fulfill the responsibilities of the Ambassador Programme Guidelines, I plan to execute the following activities in Bangladesh: Translation of GHI Information: Translate GHI consensus documents, educational brochures, and official information sheets from English into Bengali to make vital food safety information accessible to local communities, inspectors, and grassroots organizations. Articles for Local Media: Write and submit articles and op-eds to local food and agriculture magazines to raise public awareness about the socioeconomic benefits of global food safety harmonization.
Dissemination of Press Releases: Provide relevant Bangladeshi government bodies, such as the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), with official GHI press releases and consensus papers to aid local policy alignment. Organize Meetings & Presentations: Leverage my professional network to organize local seminars, virtual meetings, and presentations at academic institutions to educate students, teachers, and professionals on risk/benefit analysis and science-based food laws.
GHI Book Reviews: Write comprehensive reviews on GHI publications, including “Ensuring Global Food Safety: Exploring Global Harmonization”, to publish in peer-reviewed journals and academic networks. Expert Recruitment: Identify and recruit local specialists in food science, microbiology, and public health to join GHI as members and participate actively in GHI Working Groups.
Presentations
Dr. Md. Sazedul Hoqu:
Title: Capacity Building Foresight workshop: “Enhancing Opportunities for Mobility in Aquaculture Education between south-east Asia and Europe.”
Conference: Horizon 2020 Framework Programme Project: 728030 EURASTiP , http://eurastip.eu/education/mobility/#top
Date and Venue: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 17 – 20th November 2019