PROCEDURE FOR BSTI CERTIFICATION

BSTI Registration, The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) was established by the Government through an Ordinance passed in July 1985. BSTI is headed by a Director General (Additional Secretary to the Government).

The primary activities of BSTI Registration The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) are standardization of services and products (S); introduction of the international unit system of weights and measures and promotion of metrology services (M); promotion of quality assurance activities; rendering testing facilities for services and products; preparation, promotion and adoption of national standards. The Institution is also empowered with some regulatory measures in these fields. The Institutional budget is fully supported by its own income, i.e. it is functioning as a self-financing organization.

The Institution has also taken steps to create awareness among different bodies and entrepreneurs for the adoption of all key ISO standards (ISO 9000, 14000, etc.), CAC, IEC. The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) signed the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) affiliate country program pledge in 2001.

The importance of BSTI Registration is being increasingly felt due to the government’s cardinal policy to make industries export-oriented and to supply the consumers at home and abroad with quality products. The Institution is emerging as a forceful exponent in the overall development of the country. The introduction of the international unit system (SI Units) and promotion of metrology services are also gaining momentum.

BSTI Registration

8 (eight) steps for obtaining Certification of Marks (CM) license.

(a) Any Company/producer intends to use, Standard mark of BSTI Registration in relation to any article or process shall apply to the Institution for obtaining CM license in a prescribed form.

(b) After receiving the application along with necessary and relevant papers an inspection is being arranged and the inspection report is prepared.

(c) If the inspection report is found satisfactory, then samples are collected on a random basis and those are jointly signed and sealed by the BSTI Officer and the producer.

(d) The collected sample is tested in the BSTI Laboratory or any other laboratory approved by BSTI according to the relevant Bangladesh Standard (BDS)

(e) If the results of the test parameters are found in conformity with the relevant BDS. a license is granted in favor of that article.

(f) Normally a license is granted for a period of three years, which is being renewed if the samples are found satisfactory after following the same procedure as has been described in sl.no. (b) (e), for a subsequent period of another three years.

(g) A license is to pay fees in favor of BSTI which is known as CM fee The breakup of the CM fees is as follows

(i) Application fee: Tk. 1000 for new and Tk. 500 for renewal
(ii) Licence fee: Tk. 200/= per year.
(ii) Marking Fee: Tk. 0.07% of Ex. factory price for fruit items and Tk. 0.10% of Ex. factory price for other items. For fruit items Min. fee Tk. 1250/= to Max. Tk. 10,00,000/= and for other items Min. fee Tk. 1875/= to 15,00,000/=

(h) A license granted in favor of any article can be canceled, withdrawn, or revoked at any time if it is found that the license has violated any of the conditions specified in the license and BSTI Ordinance as well.
A schematic diagram, explaining the procedure for grant of a BSTI CM license is given in

Although the above-mentioned procedure is quite simple no system works properly in this country. People often complain that getting a BSTI Registration without a reference from someone powerful is like getting moon in hand. Often people have to pay extra lubrication money to get a BSTI certificate. Even sometimes start-up entrepreneurs become compelled to postpone their long-desired business initiative due to regulatory burden and unnecessary hassles from various government organizations like BSTI. BSTI Registration

Preliminary inspection

Preliminary inspection is carried out on a day, mutually agreed upon, to examine the availability of the facilities for producing a standard product and to draw samples for independent testing. The details of the preliminary inspection are recorded in a suitable proforma known as the preliminary inspection report. On the basis of this report. The decision was taken regarding the grant of license. The information, which is to collect at the time for BSTI Registration of preliminary inspection, are:

General information.
About raw materials.
Manufacturing process.
Packing and marking.
Laboratory and inspection procedure.
Hygienic and environmental conditions at factory premises in case of a food processing plants.
Testing facilities available as per Bangladesh Standard.
Storage facilities.
Testing personnel etc.

Collection of samples.

Two sets of samples are collected on a random basis, which is sealed with the joint signature of the inspection officer and the representative of the applicant. Both the samples are kept in the custody of the applicant who is advised to submit one set of the samples to the BSTI lab. And the other to keep with him as a reference sample.

Testing:

The sample collected by the inspecting officer during the preliminary inspection is submitted to any of the BSTI Laboratories situated at Dhaka. Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna whichever seems to be convenient. The testing fee is to be borne by the applicant. In the case of the laboratories other than BSTI, the applicant is advised to pay the testing fee directly to the concerned laboratory.

Grant / Renewal of license:

After the completion of the above-mentioned formalities, if it is seen that the preliminary inspection report is satisfactory and the test parameters are found in conformity with the relevant Bangladesh standard, a decision is taken for the grant of a BSTI Registration in favor of that product. After the due payment of license and marking fee a license is issued.

The licensee is to apply to the institution for the renewal of their license 3 months before the expiry of the licensing period. The license is renewed, at interval 3 years, only if the test result of the sample duly collected from the factory is found inconsistent with the BDS.