While manufacturers of products are using plastic packaging, mobile courts are fining the super shops.
Director of Bangladesh Standard Testing Institute (BSTI) Sajjadul Bari, says: “If products are marketed without licence then we seal the manufacturing industry and fine/imprison the owner. But mobile courts can also fine establishments that sell items without BSTI approval.”
Concerned authorities feel that mobile courts should also visit manufacturing plants because super shops are being made to pay for the errors of the manufacturers.
Legal manager of Meena Bazar, Md Rajiv Alam, said: “The drives by mobile courts are commendable but if they are carried out at the production facilities, then super shops won’t have to pay unnecessary fines.”
In this regard, letters were also sent to several government departments by super shop owners.
Official of Agora super shop, Sabur Khan, said: “If manufacturers stop using polythene then super shops won’t have to pay fines.”
An official of the Department of jute said: “All manufacturers, exporters, packagers and supplier shave been asked to strictly follow the rule ------‘mandatory usage of jute made packages law-2010.”
'To implement this law, we have collected the names of importers, packagers and suppliers; instructions were also given to district and upazila offices, 'added the official.
DG of the jute department Md Shamsul Alam has issued an order for the implementation of the jute packaging law-2010.
While jute packaging is mandatory, some producers are flouting the law and still using polythene.
While mobile courts have fined super shops, the latter say that it is the manufacturers who use polythene instead of jute.
In many cases, the BSTI labelling requirement is ignored or wrong labelling used. The common complaint is that the manufacturers are not bothered about the need to mention details on the labels.
The law states that the packaging of a product must mention all the ingredients used and show the accreditation mark but this is often flouted.
Super shop officials say: “Most items are supplied in sealed packaging and therefore, it’s not possible to know about the standard of the product inside.”