Food act, BSTI law lack integration
Manufacturers tell discussion
Relevant laws on safe food and standard of other products lack integration, said manufacturers at a discussion yesterday.
Consequently, they said, manufacturers and retailers face harassment by different authorities whose desired standards for products differ from each other.
Omor Faruk Chowdhury, the state minister for industries, held the discussion with the manufacturers of mostly consumer products at Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) head office in the capital to hear about the problems they face in business.
Lack of integration between the Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendment) Act 2005 and BSTI law results in punishment of manufacturers and retailers, said Ilias Mridha, a director of Pran Group.
There are instances when mobile courts under the pure food act filed cases against products certified by the BSTI, said Anup Kumar Saha, a director of ACI Group.
Shakti curd is an example, speakers said.
Local government bodies, including the city corporations, enforce the pure food act while BSTI determines the standard of certain listed products under its own law.
AK Fazlul Ahad, director general of BSTI, said the government is updating the pure food act.
Representatives from Nestle Bangladesh demanded BSTI capacity building for speedy clearance of imported goods while those from Square Group suggested setting standards for sanitary napkins and diapers.
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