Govt moves to modernise BSTI labs with Tk 851.93cr project

Officials said the Ministry of Industries has initiated the project, with BSTI serving as the implementing agency, and it will be carried out from July 2025 to June 2028 at Tejgaon under the Dhaka North City Corporation.

Of the total cost, they said, Tk 801.93 crore will come from government funds while the remaining Tk 50 crore from the government’s own resources.

According to the officials, the main objective is to upgrade BSTI’s testing capacity and align it with international standards so that industries, traders and consumers receive faster, more accurate and reliable services.

They said the country’s food safety challenges, increasing cases of adulteration and the need for globally compliant products in export markets have underscored the urgency of upgrading BSTI’s testing capacity to ensure safer goods at home and stronger acceptance abroad.

Under the project, a 13-storey building with a basement will be constructed on 12,519.04 square metres of land. New chemical and physical laboratories will be set up and existing ones will be expanded and modernised.

A total of 20 new chemical testing laboratories will be built, while 18 existing ones will be upgraded. Besides, 15 new physical testing labs will be installed and 14 current ones will be developed further.

The project also plans to purchase 781 advanced machines and instruments along with chemicals, certified reference materials, glassware, computers and office equipment.

Five specialised system-based laboratories will be set up for testing air-conditioning equipment, refrigeration, transformers, LED lamps and solar modules.

BSTI currently tests 299 mandatory products and 79 import-regulated items under the Commerce Ministry’s import policy.

It also provides testing services for public, private and voluntary organisations.

Despite having its headquarters in Dhaka and 10 other offices across the country, BSTI still faces limitations due to inadequate infrastructure and manpower.

A separate project is underway to establish 10 new regional offices but growing national demand for testing led to the proposal for this large-scale modernisation programme.

Once completed, the officials said, BSTI’s testing capacity will increase substantially, said officials.

Physical, electrical and textile testing capacity is expected to rise by 50 percent while chemical and food testing capacity will go up by 33 percent, they said.

The institution will be able to issue around 20,000 test reports annually for chemical and food samples and 12,000 reports for physical, electrical and textile products.

The Planning Commission has recommended the project saying it will play a key role in ensuring consumer rights, preventing adulteration and supporting fair trade practices.

It said stronger quality control will help local industries grow and make Bangladeshi products more competitive in international markets.

Accurate testing ensures safer consumer goods, prevents substandard imports, protects public health and boosts confidence in locally made products.

A modern BSTI also helps exporters meet global compliance standards — a major requirement for entering premium foreign markets. With upgraded labs and skilled personnel, local industries will be able to certify products faster, reduce production delays and maintain international quality benchmarks.

The officials believe that improved testing services will help curb adulteration, ensure correct measurement in commercial activity and create new export opportunities by increasing the production of high-quality goods, reports UNB.