International standards should be practised in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector to increase productivity and quality of goods in the country, analysts said yesterday.
Adoption and implementation of international standards also help in reducing cost of production, saving energy and ensuring workplace safety, they said.
They spoke at a workshop on “technological upgradation of SMEs through the implementation of international standards” organised by the SME Foundation at the National Academy for Planning and Development in Dhaka.
Every entrepreneur targets to maximise the profit, said Syed Md Ihsanul Karim, managing director of SME Foundation.
Practice of international standards not only increase the profitability, but also helps in maintaining the product quality and ensure other safety measures, he said.
“However, adoption of international standards may not be gainful for all SMEs, but these will be needed to be sustainable in the future.”
“We have to create awareness among the SMEs to practise the international standards.”
The export-oriented industries have to follow many international standards or obtain ISO certificate on many issues, said M Shamim Z Basunia, president of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.
“The SMEs can also adopt and practise the international standards to increase their productivity and goods quality,” he said.
International standards must be followed to maintain adequate product supply to the markets through reducing the cost of production and maintaining the quality of goods, said Ahmed Ismail Mustafa, chairman of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
It is easy for big industries to follow the international standards, but it may be difficult for the SMEs, considering the cost of adaptation of the international standards, said Abu Abdullah, director general of Bangladesh Accreditation Board.
“But if we think about the international markets or buyers, we have to follow the international standards.”
Nazrul Islam, director of National Productivity Organisation, echoed Karim of the SME Foundation.
source:Star Business Report
