Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun on Monday said the government is working to upgrade the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) into a strong international standards institution.
He said programmes and operations such as recruitment of skilled manpower, modernisation of equipment, establishment of world-class laboratories, launching of one-stop service are being ensured in the institution.
“If these programmes are implemented fully, then BSTI will become an international standard institution,” he hoped.
Humayun said this while addressing a discussion meeting titled “We Measure Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” organised on the occasion of World Metrology Day held at the BSTI meeting room in the capital’s Tejgaon area, reports BSS.
Industries Ministry Senior Secretary Zakia Sultana, President of FBCCI Mahbubul Alam spoke as special guests. Director General of BSTI SM Ferdous Alam and Director (Metrology) Engineer Md Nurul Islam spoke among others.
The Industries Minister said the BSTI, as an ISO member institution, has been running its operations successfully with the sole efforts from Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman since its inception to ensure quality goods for the common consumers of the country.
He said various initiatives and steps have been taken to modernise BSTI in the context of global and regional order.
Humayun said work is on to establish 10 regional offices with laboratories for BSTI, Chattogram and Khulna BSTI offices are being upgraded into offices with modern laboratories to provide assistance in import and export trade.
He said some 68 new labs are being established while the existing labs are being modernised, BSTI halal certificates are being provided to boost export of local products, some 21 new labs are also being set up to provide modern services on weight and measurement.
The industries minister said proper measurements play a vital role in understanding and dealing with environmental challenges like climate change and air pollution.
"Through proper calculation and monitoring, the amount of carbon in the environment will be known which will in turn play a supporting role in preventing carbon pollution."
While speaking as special guest, Senior Secretary of the Industries Ministry Zakia Sultana said BSTI has been working to ensure fair weights and measurement.
“For this reason, the officials concerned should work with honesty, integrity and sincerity. Only then the consumers of the products will have their fair rights and they will not be cheated,” she said.
The discussion meeting was attended by industrial entrepreneurs, businessmen, related stakeholders and officials of the Ministry of Industries and various departments and organisations under its jurisdiction.
World Metrology Day, commemorating the anniversary of signature by representatives of 17 nations of the “Metre Convention-1875,” is being observed on Monday in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the globe.
Like all member countries of International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and International Bureau of Legal Metrology (BIML), the day will be observed at the initiative of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) in Bangladesh.
