Indian help to upgrade BSTI to continue, Mitter tells Barua

---

FE Report
India will continue to train BSTI officials and upgrade its laboratory, so that the local industries could employ appropriate technologies to attain manufacturing standards to face stiff competition in the market.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual assistance signed earlier between Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which expires on June 25 this year, will be extended.
Industries Minister Dilip Barua said while briefing reporters after a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Rajeet Mitter Thursday.
A number of BSTI officials had already received training from India and a few others would follow soon.
The visiting envoy and the minister held discussion on increasing trade between the two neighbouring countries, technical support to promote local product quality and exchange of business delegations.
"The government is putting importance to upgrading the BSTI," the minister said.
To increase the volume of exports, the government was taking steps to diversify leather, ceramic, plastic and light engineering products along with readymade garment, he added.
Mr Mitter said the ISO26000 of the International Organisation for Standardisation was not in favour of the developing countries and would have a negative impact on these nations' industrial production and export.
He called for improving relation between Bangladesh and India in the international forum for the mutual benefit of the two countries.