BSTI Certification Bangladesh 2026: Standard Mark, CM Licence, Imports and Penalties

BSTI certification Bangladesh rules for products in 2026

BSTI certification Bangladesh rules decide whether a manufacturer can lawfully put a product on the shelf, whether an importer can get a consignment out of the port and whether a retailer can keep stock without facing a mobile court. The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution issues the national standard mark, runs the testing laboratories, controls weights and measures and, since 2022, certifies halal products. For any product on its mandatory list, the absence of a valid Certification Mark (CM) licence is not a paperwork gap. It is a criminal offence.

This guide explains the whole system as it stands in October 2026: the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution Act 2018, how products are added to the mandatory list and how many are on it, the CM licence process and timeline, laboratory testing, quality clearance for imports under the new Import Policy Order 2026–2029, penalties, mobile courts, halal certification and the metrology rules on packaged goods. It closes with the mistakes we see most often and the steps that keep a product range compliant.

Summary: BSTI certification is compulsory for every product on the government's mandatory list, whether made in Bangladesh or imported. Local manufacturers need a three-year CM licence before using the standard mark, importers of listed goods need a BSTI quality clearance before customs release, and packaged goods need separate metrology registration. Breaches can lead to fines, imprisonment, seizure and factory closure, often imposed on the spot by mobile courts.

Key point: Selling, distributing or advertising a product on the mandatory list without meeting the Bangladesh Standard carries up to four years' imprisonment or a fine of Tk 50,000 to Tk 2 lakh under section 29 of the BSTI Act 2018, and the maximum doubles for a repeat offence.

At a glance

Swipe or scroll →

Table of Contents

What BSTI certification Bangladesh law requires in 2026

Under BSTI certification Bangladesh law, the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution confirms that a product or process conforms to a Bangladesh Standard (BDS) and licenses the producer to use the national standard mark. The Institution's statutory functions include setting Bangladesh Standards, running the national certification mark scheme, inspecting and testing products for local use, export and import, and arranging metrology and calibration.[1]

In practice the system has three layers. The first is voluntary certification: any producer may apply to use the standard mark on a product that meets a BDS. The second is mandatory certification: once the government notifies a product, it cannot lawfully be sold, distributed or commercially advertised unless it follows the relevant standard. The third is metrology: weights, measures and packaged goods are regulated under a separate statute that BSTI also enforces.[1] [2]

Quality certification and the standard mark

The quality certification and standard mark regime works through a licence, not a one-off approval. The licence holder may use the mark only on goods that actually conform to the standard, and a licence does not cover non-conforming batches.[1] The mark therefore functions as a continuing promise to consumers, backed by surveillance testing and inspection. A mark printed on packaging, a label, a bottle cap, a crate or any other container counts as marking the product itself.[1]

Who needs to care

Food and beverage manufacturers, cosmetics and toiletries producers, electrical and electronics makers, construction materials suppliers, importers of listed goods, e-commerce sellers and supermarket chains all sit inside the regime. The risk is not limited to manufacturers. Distribution and commercial advertising of a non-compliant mandatory product are offences in their own right, so brand owners, distributors and online platforms carry exposure too.[1]

The legal framework: BSTI Act 2018 and related laws

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution Act 2018 was enacted on 14 November 2018 as Act No 67 of 2018 and repealed the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution Ordinance 1985, while preserving regulations, notifications and orders made under it.[1] That savings clause matters: the gazette notifications that built the mandatory list over decades continue to apply unless replaced.

The core provisions

• Section 15 prohibits using the standard mark, or any imitation of it, on goods, processes, patents, trade marks or designs without a licence.
• Section 16 sets out the licence: application on the prescribed form with the prescribed fee, a grant only after investigation, a three-year term, cancellation after a hearing, and duplicates for lost licences.
• Section 17 empowers BSTI to issue quality clearance certificates for imported goods.
• Sections 18 and 19 bar names, marks and trade marks that imitate the Institution's name or the expression "Bangladesh Standard", and stop registration authorities registering them.
• Section 20 lets the government restrict exports of specified goods that do not carry the mark.
• Section 21 is the engine of mandatory certification, allowing the government to prohibit the sale, distribution and commercial advertising of notified goods that do not follow the Bangladesh Standard.[1]

The companion statutes

Two other laws complete the picture. The Weights and Measures Standards Act 2018 (Act No 56 of 2018) replaced the Standards of Weights and Measures Ordinance 1982 and governs measuring instruments, packaged commodities and fuel stations.[2] The Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 adds offences for adulteration, counterfeiting, short weight and false advertising, enforced by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.[3] One set of facts can engage all three statutes at once, as the 2026 mobile court cases below show.

Our consumer protection practice advises manufacturers and retailers on how these regimes interact, and our customs and trade compliance practice handles the import side.

The mandatory list: products that need BSTI certification Bangladesh-wide

A product becomes subject to mandatory BSTI certification Bangladesh-wide when the government, after consulting the Institution, publishes a gazette notification under section 21. The effective date must be at least two months after publication, which gives producers a short window to apply.[1] The list is decided in practice by the BSTI Council, chaired by the minister or adviser in charge of the Ministry of Industries, and then gazetted.[5]

How many products are on the list

The count has grown steadily and is often misreported, so it is worth setting out the verified figures. In May 2023 the 38th BSTI Council meeting added 37 products, including mosquito nets, toothbrushes, pressure cookers, LPG cylinders, microwave ovens, cheese and jute bags, taking the mandatory list from 239 to 276.[4] By September 2024 the list stood at 299 products, and the 40th Council meeting approved 16 more, including electrolyte drinks, washing machines, dishwashers, kitchen hoods, mattresses, custard powder, evaporated milk, aluminium foil and gel ink pens, which would take the total to 315 once gazetted.[5]

Reporting in October 2025 still described 299 products as being on the mandatory testing list, with a further 79 products brought within BSTI's testing scope through the Ministry of Commerce's import policy.[6] The safe conclusion is that roughly 300 to 315 products require a CM licence for local production and sale, depending on whether the 2024 additions have been gazetted for the product in question, and that a separate import list applies. Never rely on a headline number: check the specific gazette notification and BDS number for your product.

What the list covers

The list spans processed foods and beverages, dairy, edible oils, bakery and confectionery, cosmetics and toiletries, cleaning products, textiles, electrical appliances and cables, building materials such as cement and steel, and consumer durables. Additions over the past three years show a clear trend toward household appliances and newer consumer categories, such as electrolyte drinks, as well as goods with safety risks, such as gas cylinders and pressure cookers.[4] [5]

Products outside the list

A product that is not on the mandatory list may still be certified voluntarily against a BDS, and any person may ask BSTI to test a product within its remit for a fee.[1] Voluntary certification is a commercial choice, often driven by retail chains, public procurement specifications or export buyers. It does not remove the need to comply with labelling, food safety or metrology rules.

The CM licence process step by step

The Certification Mark licence is the core of BSTI certification Bangladesh law for domestic producers. The statutory test is simple: BSTI may grant a licence only after investigation, and only if it is satisfied that the product conforms to the relevant Bangladesh Standard and that there is an arrangement for regular inspection or testing to keep it conforming.[1]

Swipe or scroll →

Documents BSTI expects

Applications are made online through the BSTI application portal linked from the Institution's website. The documents typically required are a current trade licence, trade mark or industrial layout papers, VAT and TIN certificates, a premises licence for food products, and product details including a Bangla label showing the product name, brand, weight, ingredients, production and expiry dates, batch number, manufacturer's address, maximum retail price and the standard mark with the relevant BDS number.[7] A missing or out-of-date document is the most common reason for delay, so assemble the file before applying.

Timeline

BSTI's processing time for a CM licence has been reported at a minimum of 19 and a maximum of 42 working days, covering application review, factory inspection, sample sealing, laboratory testing, evaluation of the test report and final approval.[7] In practice the clock depends on the product: a food item with a short test cycle moves faster than an appliance that needs performance testing. Build the timeline into launch plans, and do not ship listed products before the licence is issued.

Fees

The Act leaves application, licence and marking fees to regulations.[1] Fees combine fixed application and licence charges with a marking fee linked to production, and they have been revised over time. We have not been able to verify the current schedule directly from BSTI's official website, so we do not reproduce figures here. Obtain the current fee schedule from BSTI, or have it confirmed, before budgeting, because the marking fee can be the largest recurring cost of the scheme for high-volume products.

Term, renewal, cancellation and appeal

A CM licence is valid for three years. BSTI may cancel it before expiry if a licence condition has been breached, but only after giving the licence holder a reasonable opportunity to be heard.[1] A person aggrieved by an order granting, renewing, refusing, cancelling or suspending a licence may appeal to the government within three months of receiving the decision, on payment of a prescribed fee, and the government's decision is final.[1] Diary the renewal date well in advance. Selling a mandatory product on an expired licence is treated in the same way as selling without one.

Testing, laboratories and surveillance

Testing is where most BSTI certification Bangladesh decisions are really made. BSTI tests products for licensing, import clearance and market surveillance, and any person or business may apply for testing of products within its remit on payment of the applicable fee, with government bodies given priority.[1]

Laboratory capacity in 2025 and 2026

Capacity has long been the bottleneck. In October 2025 a Tk 852 crore project was placed before ECNEC to build 20 new chemical testing laboratories, modernise 18 existing ones, procure 781 testing instruments and set up system laboratories for air conditioners, refrigerators, transformers, LED lamps and solar equipment, with completion targeted for June 2028. The project aims to lift annual test reports from about 20,000 to about 32,000.[6] The same month BSTI reported new specialised laboratories for helmets, solar panels, cement and gold purity, ten new regional offices and licences carrying embedded QR codes to combat counterfeiting.[8]

Surveillance after the licence

A licence is not the end of testing. BSTI inspectors may inspect premises, collect samples and, with the powers of a police sub-inspector, search, detain and investigate offences under the Act.[1] Market samples that fail can lead to suspension, cancellation, closure orders or prosecution. Keep batch records, retain reference samples and investigate any failed result immediately, because the first failed surveillance test is usually where a manageable problem becomes an enforcement file.

Import clearance: BSTI certification Bangladesh rules for imported goods

Importers often assume that BSTI is a manufacturer's concern. It is not. Section 17 of the BSTI Act empowers the Institution to issue quality clearance certificates for imported goods, and the Import Policy Order makes that clearance a condition of release for listed products.[1] [9]

The import list

Under the Import Policy Order 2021–2024, importers needed BSTI certificates for 79 products listed in Appendix 4.[10] Bangladesh Customs' published procedure for processed food confirms that BSTI-listed food items in Annexure 4 are cleared only on receipt of a BSTI clearance certificate, while other foodstuffs are tested by other recognised laboratories.[9] The import list is distinct from the domestic mandatory list, so a product can be on one and not the other.

How clearance works at the port

For products requiring mandatory BSTI testing, a BSTI official collects samples at the port. Customs then receives either the laboratory test report or the BSTI clearance certificate, assesses duties and taxes, and issues the release order online once they are paid.[9] Every day spent waiting for a test result adds demurrage and port charges, so importers should file the BSTI application as soon as the bill of entry is lodged.

Conditional release for industrial raw materials

In January 2025 BSTI announced conditional temporary certificates allowing imported industrial raw materials to leave the port before final testing. The importer must show that the goods are industrial raw materials, identify the warehouse where they will be stored and apply to BSTI at the port. The final certificate issues only if the goods pass testing, and legal action follows if the goods are stored elsewhere or used or sold before certification.[10]

The Import Policy Order 2026–2029

A new Import Policy Order 2026–2029, dated 23 August 2026 and published in the gazette the following day, took effect immediately under section 3(1) of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act 1950 and runs until 31 December 2029. It retains the classification of goods as controlled, prohibited or freely importable and introduces BSTI and BDS conformity documentation for listed foods.[11] Importers should check the annexures of the 2026 Order for their HS codes rather than assume that the 2021–2024 list carries over unchanged. Our guide to LC versus TT payments in Bangladesh covers the import payment side.

Export restrictions and the standard mark

Section 20 allows the government, after consulting BSTI, to prohibit or restrict the export of specified goods that do not carry the standard mark or do not follow standard practice. Notified goods may leave Bangladesh only under a licence from an authorised officer, and they are treated as restricted goods under section 16 of the Customs Act 1969.[1] Breach is punishable with up to one year's imprisonment or a fine of Tk 10,000 to Tk 50,000, or both, without prejudice to customs penalties and forfeiture.[1] Exporters of food and consumer goods should also check whether the destination market requires halal or third-party certification that BSTI's mark alone does not satisfy.

Penalties for breaching BSTI certification Bangladesh rules

The BSTI Act 2018 sets minimum as well as maximum fines for the core offences, which is unusual in Bangladeshi regulatory law and limits how far a court can go in mitigation. The headline provisions are as follows.[1]

• Using the mark without a licence, or breaching sections 18 or 19: up to two years' imprisonment, a fine of Tk 25,000 to Tk 1 lakh, or both, with possible forfeiture of the property concerned (section 27).
• Breaching a section 21 notification on a mandatory product: up to four years' imprisonment, a fine of Tk 50,000 to Tk 2 lakh, or both (section 29).
• Obstructing an inspector or giving false information: up to one year's imprisonment, a fine of Tk 10,000 to Tk 50,000, or both (section 30).
• Other breaches of the Act, rules or regulations: a fine of Tk 25,000 to Tk 1 lakh (section 31).
• Repeat offences: twice the maximum penalty for the offence (section 32).

Closure orders and forfeiture

The administrative powers are often more damaging than the fines. Where tested goods do not conform to the Bangladesh Standard, or listed goods are sold, distributed or advertised in breach of section 21, the Director General or an authorised officer may by written order close the factory, warehouse or other premises. "Premises" includes business premises, warehouses, residences partly used for business and vehicles or vessels used for trade. The affected person may appeal to the government within 30 days.[1] Goods involved in an offence may also be forfeited and destroyed or disposed of by BSTI.[1]

The table below compares the main criminal exposures under the three statutes. On a phone, scroll it sideways.

Mobile courts and on-the-spot enforcement

Most businesses meet BSTI enforcement through a mobile court rather than a criminal trial. Section 35 of the BSTI Act allows mobile courts under the Mobile Court Act 2009 to impose penalties for offences under the Act, provided the offence is listed in the schedule to that Act, and section 36 allows a first-class or metropolitan magistrate to impose the full fines the Act sets, notwithstanding the usual limits in the Code of Criminal Procedure.[1] The Weights and Measures Standards Act 2018 contains a parallel mobile court provision.[2]

What a 2026 drive looks like

On 26 July 2026 three BSTI mobile courts led by BSTI executive magistrates in Rupganj, Bosila and Hazaribagh fined seven firms about Tk 15 lakh in total. Two well-known feed producers were each fined Tk 4 lakh, Tk 2 lakh under the BSTI Act 2018 and Tk 2 lakh under the Weights and Measures Standards Act 2018, for producing and selling poultry and fish feed without BSTI certification and packaging registration. A battery maker was fined for the same combination of failures, toiletries producers for using names resembling established brands, and a confectionery outlet of a major group and a local sweet shop for selling without certification.[14]

Handling a mobile court visit

Mobile courts act on the spot, and the record is made in minutes, which makes BSTI certification Bangladesh documents a front-line defence. Keep the CM licence, packaging registration certificate, latest test reports and import clearance certificates on site and in a shared folder that a manager can produce immediately. Designate a person who will speak to the magistrate, ask that any admission be recorded accurately, obtain a copy of the order and take advice promptly on any appeal or challenge. Paying a fine without understanding what was recorded can create a "previous conviction" for repeat-offence purposes.

Metrology, weights and packaged commodities

BSTI certification Bangladesh compliance is incomplete without metrology. The Weights and Measures Standards Act 2018 requires the international system of units throughout Bangladesh and prohibits making, selling or supplying weights or measures that do not conform to the prescribed standard, subject to an export-only exception.[2]

Packaged goods registration and labelling

Packaged goods may not be manufactured, packed, sold, supplied or displayed unless the packer holds a packaging registration certificate. The principal display panel must show, in Bangla, the product identity, net quantity, number of units, maximum retail price, production and expiry or best-before dates, and the name and full address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor. Expired packaged goods may not be displayed or kept for sale, and no package may contain less than its declared quantity.[2] Breach of these rules carries up to one year's imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk 1 lakh, or both.[2]

Weighing instruments, fuel stations and short weight

Commercial weights and measuring instruments must be verified and stamped, or hold a valid verification or calibration certificate, before they are sold, used or possessed.[2] Repairing, dealing in, importing or exporting weighing equipment requires a certificate or registration, and LPG and LNG bottling plants, petrol pumps and CNG, LPG and LNG filling stations need a renewable three-year registration certificate.[2] Supplying less than the contracted quantity is punishable with up to one year's imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk 1 lakh, or both, and repeat offenders face double the maximum penalty.[2]

Compounding

Many offences under the Weights and Measures Standards Act, including short weight, unverified instruments and packaging-related export breaches, may be compounded before or after charge by paying an amount fixed by the authorised officer to the Institution, capped at the maximum fine.[2] Compounding can close a file quickly, but it should be negotiated with an eye on the facts recorded, not accepted reflexively. Prosecutions under the Act require a written complaint from an authorised person or inspector.[2]

Halal certification by BSTI

BSTI began issuing halal certificates on 11 April 2022, after Bangladesh joined the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and adopted three OIC/SMIIC halal standards as Bangladesh Standards: BDS OIC/SMIIC 1:2021, BDS OIC/SMIIC 2:2021 and BDS OIC/SMIIC 24:2021. The first certificates went to food products including biscuits, cakes, noodles and confectionery.[12] Halal certification is voluntary for domestic sale but increasingly demanded by export buyers in Muslim-majority markets.

Two certifiers and an unresolved dispute

BSTI is not the only halal certifier. The Islamic Foundation also issues halal certificates, and the two bodies have been in open disagreement since BSTI entered the field. As of January 2026 the Islamic Foundation reported 276 certified companies, including 66 exporters, while BSTI had issued 202 halal certificates to 25 companies. BSTI opened a National Halal Laboratory on 14 July 2025, but no formal decision allocating halal authority had been reported, and exporters were often obtaining both certificates.[13]

The practical answer is to start with the buyer. Ask which certificate the importing authority or customer recognises, and whether the certifier must appear on a destination-country list, before choosing a certifier or paying for two. For food businesses, our guide to restaurant and food business registration in Bangladesh covers the wider licensing stack.

Consumer protection overlap

A failed BSTI test often becomes a consumer rights case as well. Under the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, knowingly selling adulterated goods carries up to three years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk 2 lakh, or both; producing counterfeit goods carries the same maximum; deceiving buyers through false advertising carries up to one year or a fine of up to Tk 2 lakh; and selling short weight or expired goods carries up to one year or a fine of up to Tk 50,000.[3]

The Directorate can also impose administrative fines up to the statutory maximum, payable within five working days. A consumer must complain within 30 days of the cause of action, and a complainant is entitled to 25 per cent of any fine collected on their complaint, unless the complainant is a Directorate official.[3] That reward structure means competitors and consumers have a direct incentive to report unlicensed or mislabelled products. Online sellers face the same exposure; see our guide to e-commerce law in Bangladesh.

Regulators and institutions

Several bodies touch the same product. Knowing who does what avoids duplicated applications and missed approvals.

Food products add a further layer, since the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority regulates food safety separately from BSTI's quality certification. Where the remits overlap, as they have for newer categories such as electrolyte drinks, confirm in writing which approvals are required before launch.

BSTI certification Bangladesh mistakes to avoid

Most enforcement files we see start from a handful of avoidable errors. The same discipline applies whether the business is a start-up food producer or a multinational importer seeking BSTI certification Bangladesh-wide for a full product range.

• Launching before the licence: treating the CM licence as a post-launch formality. Selling a listed product without it is an offence from the first unit.
• Licensing one variant and selling five: a licence covers the product and standard specified. New flavours, sizes or formulations may need their own testing.
• Forgetting packaging registration: the 2026 mobile court cases fined producers under both the BSTI Act and the Weights and Measures Standards Act for the same products.[14]
• Missing renewal: the three-year term runs regardless of whether BSTI sends a reminder.[1]
• Look-alike branding: names and get-up resembling established brands attract fines and, separately, trade mark claims. Check our guide to trademark registration in Bangladesh.
• Ignoring the import list: importers who discover the BSTI requirement only when goods reach the port pay for it in demurrage.[9]

A sound plan starts with a product-by-product map of HS codes, BDS numbers and mandatory-list status, then a document file for each licence, a renewal calendar, a testing and retention protocol, and a response plan for inspections and mobile courts. New factories should build BSTI requirements into the setup sequence alongside the factory setup approvals and trade licence.

What to watch in 2026 and beyond

Four developments will shape BSTI certification Bangladesh practice over the next year. First, the mandatory list continues to grow, and further Council approvals and gazette notifications are likely, particularly for appliances and newer consumer categories.[5] Second, the Import Policy Order 2026–2029 resets the import side, and importers should map their products against its annexures now.[11] Third, the laboratory expansion project, if delivered on schedule by June 2028, should shorten testing times and widen BSTI's capacity to test appliances and solar equipment.[6] Fourth, the halal authority question between BSTI and the Islamic Foundation remains open, and exporters should watch for a government decision.[13]

If you are launching a product, importing listed goods or responding to a BSTI notice or mobile court order, the earliest steps decide the outcome. Contact TRW for a compliance review of your product range.

Frequently asked questions

Is BSTI certification mandatory in Bangladesh?

It is mandatory for products the government has notified under section 21 of the BSTI Act 2018. Those products cannot lawfully be sold, distributed or commercially advertised unless they follow the relevant Bangladesh Standard, which in practice means holding a CM licence. Other products may be certified voluntarily.[1]

How many products are on the BSTI mandatory list?

The list stood at 299 products in 2024, and the BSTI Council approved 16 more in September 2024, which would take it to 315 once gazetted. A further 79 products required BSTI clearance on import under the 2021–2024 Import Policy Order. Always check the current gazette for your product.[5] [6]

How long does a BSTI CM licence take?

Processing has been reported at between 19 and 42 working days, covering document review, factory inspection, sample collection, laboratory testing and final approval.[7]

How long is a BSTI licence valid?

Three years. BSTI may cancel it earlier for breach of a licence condition after giving the holder a reasonable opportunity to be heard.[1]

What are the BSTI certification fees?

Fees are set by BSTI regulations and combine application and licence charges with a production-linked marking fee. Because the schedule changes, confirm the current figures with BSTI before budgeting.[1]

Do imported products need BSTI certification?

Listed imported products do. BSTI collects samples at the port, and customs releases the goods only on receipt of a BSTI clearance certificate or test report. Industrial raw materials may be released under a conditional temporary certificate pending testing.[9] [10]

What is the penalty for selling a mandatory product without BSTI certification?

Up to four years' imprisonment, a fine of Tk 50,000 to Tk 2 lakh, or both, under section 29 of the BSTI Act 2018, with double the maximum for a repeat offence. BSTI may also close the premises and forfeit the goods.[1]

Can a BSTI mobile court fine my business on the spot?

Yes, for offences listed in the schedule to the Mobile Court Act 2009. In July 2026 BSTI mobile courts fined seven firms about Tk 15 lakh in a single day.[1] [14]

Does BSTI issue halal certificates?

Yes, since April 2022, against three adopted OIC/SMIIC halal standards. The Islamic Foundation also issues halal certificates, so exporters should confirm which one their buyer or destination authority accepts.[12] [13]

Do packaged goods need separate registration?

Yes. Under the Weights and Measures Standards Act 2018, packaged goods need a packaging registration certificate and a compliant Bangla label, in addition to any CM licence.[2]