10 truckloads of adulterated children’s food destroyed, 67 faulty petrol pumps sealed, and all services now digitized under BSTI Comilla Drive
The BSTI Comilla Drive conducted during the fiscal year 2024–25 has led to the filing of 124 cases, over BDT 3.9 million in fines, and the sentencing of four individuals to various terms of imprisonment. The drive aimed to combat food adulteration, ensure proper weights and measures, and enforce quality standards across Comilla district.
According to a press release issued Saturday (July 19) by KM Hanif, Deputy Director of BSTI Comilla Office, a total of 180 surveillance operations and 142 mobile court drives were carried out in collaboration with the district administration and police.
Targeted establishments included bakeries, confectioneries, sweetmeat factories, petrol pumps, brick kilns, wholesale markets, and children’s food production units. The BSTI Comilla Drive destroyed around BDT 2.5 million worth of substandard and adulterated children’s food, including juice, ice lollies, flavored drinks, pickles, and sauces—amounting to 10 full truckloads.
Additionally, 39 petrol pumps along Dhaka–Chattogram and Sylhet–Comilla highways were inspected, leading to 67 faulty fuel dispensing machines being temporarily sealed. These were later reinstated after calibration and verification.
The BSTI Comilla office has also been proactive in raising awareness through training and consultation sessions with bakery owners’ associations, dairy producers, and brick kiln operators to promote quality assurance and regulatory compliance.
Importantly, the BSTI Comilla Drive now offers a fully digitized “One Stop Service Center”, enabling consumers and businesses to access product certification and quality verification services online—ensuring greater transparency and reducing scope for corruption.
The impact of the BSTI Comilla Drive is evident in improved consumer awareness, enhanced compliance among businesses, and the modernization of public service delivery in the quality control sector.
