Consumer complaints and dispute handling centres should be set up at upazila and district levels to create awareness among consumers about the qualitative standard of products and services, and to provide legal support to the cheated consumers, stakeholders suggested yesterday.
They also said effective steps will have to be taken in this regard under the second phase of the project titled 'Bangladesh Quality Support Programme.'
UNIDO and BSTI with financial support from European Union and NORAD are jointly implementing the scheme.
The recommendations came from a review meeting (on the first phase programme) held at the industries ministry conference room with Industries Secretary KH Masud Siddiqui in the chair.
Chief Technical Consultant of the project David Holbourne presented a paper based on the achievements gained so far under the programme, future challenges and barriers to successful implementation of the project.
The meeting was informed that the global acceptability of the BSTI (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute) has increased remarkably in recent days with the establishment of international-standard National Metrology Institute in Dhaka.
The stakeholders suggested specialised trainings for the officials, now working at the BSTI laboratory, to enhance its capacity. BSTI Director General AK Fazlul Ahad and Additional Industries Secretary ABM Khorshed Alam were also present in the meeting.
The first phase of the `Bangladesh Quality Support Programme' has been implemented at a cost of 13.5 million euros during January 2006-June 2010.