The National Food Policy 2025 was officially launched at a special event held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka. The new guidelines, developed under the leadership of the National Nutrition Service (NNS) and the Food Policy Monitoring Unit (FPMU), are applicable to clinicians, nutritionists and dietitians and are designed to achieve sustainable improvements in the health and nutrition of the country.
Bangladesh first launched the National Food Policy in 2000 and it was subsequently updated in 2013 and 2020. The 2025 edition follows a holistic, food-based approach and includes three sections: General Dietary Guidelines, Age-Specific Dietary Guidelines and Disease-Specific Dietary Guidelines.
The launch event was organized by NNS and completed with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO). Md. Saidur Rahman, Secretary, Health Services Division, Ministry of Health (MoHFW), was present as the chief guest. Representatives from WHO, FAO, BIRDEM, FPMU and DGHS were also present.
Secretary Md. Saidur Rahman, in his speech, highlighted the importance of a multisectoral approach and appreciated the technical support of WHO, FAO and other partners in formulating food policies. Dr. Rajesh Narwal, Deputy WHO Representative, highlighted the need to align the guidelines with policy formulation in the food, health and education sectors and reiterated WHO’s commitment to continued support in implementation.
The launch of the National Food Policy 2025 was identified as an important step in strengthening the country’s public health policies, increasing public awareness about healthy eating habits and improving the nutritional status of Bangladesh.
