HTML clipboardBdnews24.com Bangladeshi commodities are lagging in the international market as Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution is not a member of international quality control organisations such as OIML, CIPM and MRA, an official said Tuesday.

BSTI director (metrology) Lutfur Rabbi made the disclosure at a meeting of BSTI officials with the chief adviser's special assistant in charge of the industry ministry Mahbub Jamil Tuesday.

The International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML), International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM and Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) work to maintain the quality of international commodities.

Rabbi said: "As BSTI is not a member of these organisations, Bangladeshi commodities are lagging in the international market."

"The international buyers, while buying commodities of any country, visit the websites of these three organisations and collect information on quality control in the related country. No quality control information of a country, not their member, is available."

Rabbi told bdnews24.com: "The weight of a commodity is very import to the buyer. For example, the quality control certificate of a reliable organisation is necessary about the contents and quantity of chemicals in a medicine. In case of buying a commodity from any country, not their member, the buyer becomes suspicious."

The official said: "BSTI is now a corresponding member of OIML. But about two to three years ago, it was a full member. We failed to pay annual fees of 1,000 euros. As a result we were relegated. For CIPM and MRA, the annual fee is $1,000."

He said that before giving membership, the organisations meticulously scrutinise the quality control system of a country. As BSTI was a member of OIML earlier, it could now become a member again.

But to become a member of CIPM and MRA Bangladesh will have to wait until next year. Because some new equipment is being installed, and has to be put in operation."

He requested the special assistant to take an initiative for membership of these important organisations. Mahbub Jamil assured the BSTI officials of informing the industry ministry in this regard.

"Industrialisation has to be carried forward for achieving MDGs. You will have to think how BSTI can play a role in this regard. It must be ensured that quality products are marketed," he said.

Stressing taking forward the development process by coordinating the public and private sectors, Jamil said: "The two sides should not eye each other with suspicion. If there are no business firms, the country's economy will collapse."

He urged businessmen to shun the "mentality of making excessive profit" and do business upholding morality. BSTI director general Md Azmal Hossain and other high officials were present.

Earlier, the special assistant visited different laboratories of BSTI. The number of member countries of OIML is 59 including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the UK and the USA. The number of corresponding members is 57.