Strengthening the Compliance of the OIC Member States
to International Standards
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6.2.1.2 Harmonization and Mutual Recognition
The main policy objectives in the area of standards and technical regulations are the harmonization of
national standards with international standards and the adoption of international standards. As of 2012,
international standards adopted by BSTI included 1,368 ISO Standards and 163 IEC standards.
Bangladesh is also a member of the ISO, and in 2001 became an affiliate member of the IEC. Over time,
the BSTI has been being strengthened in the areas of quality assurance, accreditation, and certification.
As a full member of ISO, affiliate member of the IEC, and full member of the Codex Alimentarius,
Bangladesh always tries to play an active role in the work of international standardization. It has
participated 22 times in the ISO’s Technical/Scientific Committees, twice in the ISO’s Policy
Development Committee, and seven times in the Codex Committee.
According to the WTO’s Trade Policy Review, Bangladesh has been upgrading its quality infrastructure
to international level by collaborative efforts with a newly operational Bangladesh Accreditation Board
(BAB). Under the Bangladesh Accreditation Act (2006), the BAB has been established as an autonomous
organization, which now functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Industries. It has
the task of developing an accreditation process in Bangladesh. Over time, the BAB has developed
relevant rules and regulations and initiated an awareness program for stakeholders, academia,
laboratories, and conformity assessment bodies (Box 6).