WTO Wing

Bangladesh has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and  a member of GATT since 16 December 1972.

SPS in Bangladesh

• As a signatory of the WTO’s Agreement on Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) measures, Bangladesh has SPS regime and institutional mechanism in place to administer SPS measures with the objective of protecting life and health of human, animals, and plants.
• Bangladesh considers SPS measures from two points of view: (i) import point of view and (ii) export point of view, administered on the basis of number of laws and related regulations.

Major Laws for SPS

• The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (Amendment) Act, 2003
• The Pesticide Ordinance, 1971 (and Rules, Amended in 2010)
• Agricultural Pest Ordinance, 1962
• The Destructive Insects and Pests Rules (Plant Quarantine), 1966 (Amended in 1989)
• The Agriculture Produce Market Regulation Act, 1964
• The Conservation and Protection of Fish Act, 1950
• The Fish and Fish Product (Inspection and Quality Control) Ordinance, 1983
• The Animal Slaughter and Meat Standard (Control) Act, 2005
• The Animal Disease Act, 2005 (and Rules, 2008)
• The Animal and Animal Products Quarantine Act, 2005
• Bangladesh Accreditation Board Act, 2006
• Safe Food Act, 2013
• Import Policy Order (issued periodically once in every 3 years)

SPS Authorities

• The WTO Cell at the Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh is the National Notification Authority for SPS issues in Bangladesh.
• The major public institutions directly involved in SPS administration and policy framing are the following ministries and attached departments:-
• Ministry of Commerce
• Ministry of Industries
• Ministry of Health and Family welfare
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
• Ministry of Environment and Forest
• National Board of Revenue
• Safe Food Authority
• Bangladesh Accreditation Board
• BSTI (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institutions) under the Ministry of Industries
• Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) under the Ministry of Agriculture
• Various laboratories under various Ministries (BCSIR, BUET, BARI, etc.)