The use of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution's (BSTI) standardisation mark has been made mandatory for 36 new products, including sweets, jute bags, pressure cookers, LPG gas cylinders, and microwave ovens by 25 November.
The number of products, covered by BSTI mandatory quality certification of the mark, was 238. It will increase to 274 now. The BSTI has taken the move to ensure the quality of products and protect consumers' rights.
The manufacturers must use the BSTI’s standardisation mark on labels or on the bodies of products, the state-run agency said in a circular issued on September 25.
The BSTI in another notification issued on the day said that it has also banned sale, distribution and commercial advertisement of products which are not produced as per the agency's standards.
The watchdog for monitoring food items and manufacturing products also said the circulars would come into effect two months after their publication.
BSTI certification marks wing deputy director Md Reazul Haque said that they have set standards for 4,200 products so far. Of them, the mark is mandatory for 274 products, including new ones.
In order to use the standardisation mark or BSTI logo, the producers will have to get their product standards tested first at the BSTI. If any industrial unit does not ensure compliance, it will be fined Tk 2 lakh or jailed for four years or both as per the BSTI law.
The new products covered by the standard are: sweetmeats, pressure cooker, LPG gas cylinder, microwave oven, bitumen and bituminous binders–polymer modified bitumen, green tea, soy sauce, chutneys, decorated cakes, malt based food, malt drinks, chhana, cheese, whey cheese, cream cheese, extra hard grating cheese, hair cream, kajol, face packs, glycerine toilet soap, liquid toilet soap, transparent toilet soap, clean cook stove and cooking solutions, industrial safety helmet, hessian jute bags for rice and pulses, hessian jute bags for packing 30-kg food grains, jute bags for packing 50-kg food grains, textile light weight jute sucking bags for packing 50-kg food grains, nonwoven wipes, silk fabrics, synthetic mosquito nets, towels & towelling, lead-acid traction batteries, UPS, single face motors and toothbrush.
