Dhaka, Feb. 2 -- Food and Land Adviser Ali Imam Majumder on Monday said the excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides to boost crop production has become a serious threat to food safety.

He said artificial fertilisers and pesticides were not used in agriculture in the past. Later, agricultural officials encouraged farmers to use them by visiting households, as food production needed to be increased at the time.

"Since then, the use of fertilisers and pesticides has increased excessively. As a result, safe food has declined, and birds, animals and fish are being destroyed," he said.

The adviser also questioned the use of hormones and other methods to increase fish production, particularly in pangas farming. "Food production must incre...