BSTI, the country’s lone national standard institution that helps ensure food and health safety and protect the environment through ensuring the quality of locally-produced products, provides CM (Certification Marks) certificates for various products from its Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barishal offices.
According to an official document, the state-run organisation has taken an initiative to provide CM certificates from all of its existing district-level offices.
The plan is aimed at ensuring the marketing of quality products by companies and metrology services to people in addition to creating institutional infrastructure of BSTI at the district level.
Currently, the 'expansion and strengthening of BSTI (in 5 districts-2nd revised) project' is going on in Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions with Faridpur, Cumilla and Cox's Bazar districts.
The project, being implemented at an estimated cost Tk 5,182.45 lakh, was supposed to be completed by the end of this fiscal year.
The project has been taken to set up office-cum-laboratories in 12 districts -- Gopalganj, Jashore, Kushtia, Dinajpur, Patuakhali, Tangail, Pabna, Rangamati, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Noakhali and Bagura.
Another Tk 23,306.62 lakh project taken for establishing modern BSTI regional offices in Chattogram and Khulna is scheduled to be completed by the end of current financial year.
The aim of the project is to ensure quality products to consumers, construct the total structure of 10-storey buildings and finishing work up to 2nd floor, including foundation for office-cum-laboratory buildings with 10-storey foundation, in Chattogram and Khulna, and procure modern laboratory equipment.
For testing facilities of air conditioners, refrigerators, electric fans and electric motors at the BSTI, the government is implementing another project at a cost of Tk 1,200 lakh.
This will increase and improve the facilities of BSTI for testing electrical and electronic products through establishing an energy-efficient product testing laboratory.
It will also test air conditioners, refrigerators, motors and fans using modern technologies.
The BSTI has a plan to set up a laboratory for testing tyre tubes, LPG cylinders and protective helmets.
It is also considering modernising and expanding its National Metrology Laboratory (NML) and expand the Petroleum Product Testing Laboratory.
The BSTI also plays a vital role in increasing export by enhancing acceptability of local goods in the international market and removing international trade barriers.