Move taken to amend BSTI Ordinance

Monira Munni Ministry of Industries (MoI) has taken a fresh move to amend the existing BSTI Ordinance in a bid to make the latter more effective and time-befitting, officials said. The BSTI Ordinance 1985 was based on laws made during the pre-independence day. But now the activities of the BSTI have expanded, Secretary of MoI KH Masud Siddiqui told the FE Thursday. "We have taken the initiative to bring about changes in the age-old Ordinance to help the BSTI deliver better results," he said. The move will help ensure the quality of local products by strengthening the legal framework of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), he explained. The BSTI needs to be strengthened along with its activities which are increasing day by day with the rising public demand, Mr Siddiqui said adding "But the age-old Ordinance remains to be a stumbling block." A ten-member committee headed by the Additional Secretary of MoI was formed recently to discuss the issues with the stakeholders, a senior official of MoI said. The committee that includes members from MoI, Ministry of Law and Justice, Dhaka University and other trade bodies has started working as it will submit its recommendations within this month, he added. The recommendations by the committee for amending the Ordinance will be placed in the next council meeting of BSTI for its approval, the MoI secretary said. Director General of BSTI AK Fazlul Ahad said the council meeting will be held in December when the recommendations are likely to be approved. The present ordinance is an old one which was amended into an Act in 2003, he said adding "But an updated law is required for strengthening the BSTI activities."