BSTI silent over polythene-packed drinking water

Many companies produce and sell drinking water in polythene packets.. PHOTO: STAR

More than 15 companies are marketing polythene-packed drinking water in the country violating the government ban.

Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) is yet to take any action against these companies.

BSTI officials said none of these companies has licence to market poly-packed water that is posing a threat to public health.

BSTI last month published a caution notice in a few newspapers but did not take any further action that encouraged the illegal business.

"Give me the addresses of the companies marketing water in polythene pack, I will take action immediately," said ABM Abdul Haque Chowdhury, director general (DG), BSTI, when contacted.

Experts said drinking polythene-packed water is risky as PVC (poly venial carbon) can pollute water in seven to 15 days of packaging.

Thousands of middle-class and low-income people including rickshawpullers are drinking this poly-packed water for its convenient price of Tk 3 to Tk 4.

The existing rules permit marketing of mineral water only in food graded PET bottle or jar.

But Mom (Rex Food Products), Aqua Guard (Aqua Guard Corporation), Regular (Ittady Marketing), Ice Up (Energy Food and Chemical Co), Ekushey (Marks Food and Chemical Industries), Bristy (Beijing Food Products), Rain (Rain Food Products), Niyamatt, Gonga, Onirban, Jiban, Navana and Fresh brand poly-packed water is available on the city streets and at shops.

All these companies are using BSTI seal on their products. None of these products carries the address or any contact phone number of the manufactures. As a result, it is very difficult to find the companies.

"We have never permitted any company for polythene-packed water. They are using our logo illegally," said the BSTI DG.

These products are available in almost every grocery shops in the capital as well as in the district towns. But BSTI officials said they could not find any.

"I do not find poly-packed water in the market. If we get such products we will definitely take action," said the DG.

BSTI can take action against this crime as per the BSTI Ordinance 1985 and BSTI (amendment) Act 2003. The criminals may be punished with the highest four years' jail or can be fined with Tk 1 lakh or both.

All the companies claim that their products are BSTI-certified. Some companies even claim that they are maintaining the standards of FDA (USA), Japan High Polymer Centre, Water Quality Association, Buet, ICDDRB etc.

Officials of Marks Food said they have some products (Ekushey brand water) in their stock that they are selling in the market but they have stopped production.

"We are not using BSTI seal illegally. We received certificate from BSTI for producing mineral water," said Mahbubur Rahman, director, Marks Food.

But BSTI officials said they have permitted this company for producing and marketing water in PET bottle or jar but they are using the certificate for marketing poly-packed water illegally.