One-stop centre makes BSTI active, effective
Photo: STAR
The one-stop centre established by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) at Tejgaon has significantly reduced corruption and hassle of customers in getting services from the institution, claim BSTI officials.
Before establishing the centre, customers had to move to different tables for collecting certification marks, licences or test results of their products. Now they are getting services from one single centre, said Azmal Hossain, director general of BSTI.
“This has sped up activities in providing services and reduced corruption,” he said.
Azmal said working environment inside BSTI office was badly hampered by the crowd of traders that prompted BSTI to set up the centre preventing unwanted meetings between the officials and customers.
He said easy access of traders inside labs and other sections of BSTI had created obstacle to activities of the officials and opened up chances to influence BSTI officials in getting licences through corruption. But after setting up the one-stop centre customers cannot enter inside the sections and meet officials directly.
Habibur Rab Majumder, a deputy director of BSTI and chief of the one- stop centre, said the centre is providing service to at least 250 customers daily.
A Citizen Charter is hung at the centre that shows how much time the authorities would need to provide a particular service.
Customers now getting service in time and if their products fail to attain BSTI standard they are informed about the reasons as soon as possible.
The centre has a media cell where journalists and others can get information on different issues on the BSTI services and monitoring.
The BSTI officials said the institution is facing a huge workload and shortage of manpower that hampers activities of quality checking, standard monitoring, leveling of the products and drive against unscrupulous traders.
“For providing smooth service to the people, we need modern technology as well as institutional strength and all these things are very important for ensuring consumer rights in the country,” said Habibur.
Customers also appreciated the service of the one-stop centre as it reduced their hassle in collecting licences and approvals from BSTI.
Sanjoy Bose, production manager of ISIS Foods Bangladesh said after establishing the centre getting certification has become easier now.
“In the past, I had to move at least 4/5 tables for getting the license for new products but this time I submitted my products here and got result within the time mentioned at the Citizen Charter,” he said.
Sanjoy applied for a 'no objection certificate' for his product and he is expecting result of his application within next three days from the one-stop centre.”
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