Play store
The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has fined seven companies a total of Tk 1.48 million for manufacturing and marketing products without the required quality certification and for other regulatory violations.
Among those penalised are ACI Godrej Agrovet Pvt Ltd and Aftab Feed Products Ltd, which were found producing and marketing poultry and fish feed without obtaining BSTI quality certification and packaging registration, according to a BSTI press release issued on Sunday.
BSTI also fined Jiuzhou Industry Ltd, a manufacturer of lead-acid starter batteries, for producing, selling and distributing batteries without the mandatory BSTI quality certification and packaging registration.
The three companies were collectively fined Tk 1 million during mobile court drives conducted in Narayanganj and Rupganj.
According to BSTI, ACI Godrej Agrovet was fined Tk 200,000 for producing, selling and distributing poultry and fish feed without the required certification and registration, and another Tk 200,000 for irregularities in weights and measures.
Aftab Feed Products Ltd was fined Tk 400,000 for the same violations.
Responding to the penalty, F.H. Ansari, Director of ACI Godrej Agrovet, told bdnews24.com that the company holds a licence issued by the Department of Livestock Services, which it considers the competent licensing authority.
“BSTI has now said we also need registration from them. We will soon discuss the matter with the two ministries concerned and resolve the legal issues in line with the government’s decision,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mahbubur Rahman Sarkar, Chief Executive Officer of Aftab Feed Products Ltd, said he was not aware of the matter and would comment after looking into it on Monday.
BSTI also fined Jiuzhou Industry Ltd Tk 100,000 for manufacturing and marketing lead-acid starter batteries without BSTI certification and registration, along with another Tk 100,000 for irregularities in weights and measures.
In separate mobile court drives in Bosila and Hazaribagh in the capital, BSTI imposed an additional Tk 480,000 in fines.
In Bosila, Aman Consumer & Toiletries and Standard Consumer & Toiletries were fined a combined Tk 350,000 for producing and marketing handwash and liquid toilet cleaner using brand names resembling those of other companies.
In Hazaribagh, the mobile court fined Mithai Tk 100,000 for selling sweets, biscuits and lachcha semai without BSTI certification, while Apurbo Ananda Jal Khabar was fined Tk 30,000 for producing and marketing sweets and yoghurt without the required certification.
The mobile courts were led by BSTI Executive Magistrates Sabekun Nahar in Narayanganj, Lutfunnesa Khanam in Bosila, and Md Mahbubul Islam in Hazaribagh.
BSTI Deputy Director K.M. Hanif, Assistant Director (Metrology) Md Rakibul Alam, and Field Officers Md Rashed Al Mamun, Borhan Uddin, and Sumaiya Afroze Liza were present during the enforcement drives.
