BSTI gets NABL accreditation

The BSTI, state-run quality control watchdog, has been internationally accredited for chemical, mechanical and biological testing certification which will help ease the non-tariff barrier the exporters often encounter, officials said. "This is a great achievement for us to get the international recognition by Indian NABL," a senior official of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) told the FE on Thursday. BSTI has got the recognition from internationally accredited Indian NABL, he said adding that it means our products can enter any country with our testing evaluation. Describing the non-tariff barrier as a major hurdle towards unhindered access of local goods to world market he said, "exporters will get rid of this hurdle." "Our target is to strengthen the existing foods and goods certification system by synchronizing the international-standard and expanding export volume in world market," the BSTI official said. The BSTI authorities got a letter in this regard by the Indian National Accre­ditation Board for Calibration and Testing Laboratories (NABL) this week, officials said. Earlier, the BSTI authority applied to the Indian government to provide the recognition. The Indian authority conducted an assessment. Finally, in December a team of lead assessors from India visited Dhaka for conducting re-assessment of the labs of BSTI to see whether it meets the requirements for getting the recognition, BSTI official said. The BSTI has improved testing facility of 83 ingredients including food items, cement and textiles by setting up new machineries and necessary infrastructure. Indian experts have provided technical support to help the testing institute develop its expertise and also helped its refurbishment, he added. The authorities carried out the reform activities under a project, funded by the European Union (EU) and UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). Standard certificates of a country are accepted all over the world after being accredited by any of the accreditation bodies.