BRiCM working to develop national production capacity: Officials

Bangladesh Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements (BRiCM) is incessantly working to develop national production capacity through technology acquisition, technology transfer and innovation, which are the prerequisite for graduation to the status of developing country and sustain it, say officials.

In a seminar, organised by BRiCM on Saturday, senior government officials also said that the government is taking timely steps for the development of the institute.

"The prime minister has established this institute considering the importance of chemical measurements in our national development. BRiCM is working day and night in order to reach its target and it is succeeding," Ziaul Hasan NDC, senior secretary of the science and technology ministry said at the event.

Commerce ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that the present government is working hard for creating a knowledge-based society. He also emphasised on attaining international standards in chemical measurements.

Unilever Bangladesh CEO and MD Zaved Akhtar said BRiCM's example is unparalleled in providing standard services.

Dr Mala Khan, the founding scientist and DG of BRiCM, described the journey and achievements of BRiCM in her keynote speech.

"Aiming to establish international standards in chemical measurements in the country, BRiCM is developing, disseminating and delivering calibration, proficiency testing/ inter-laboratory comparison, certified reference materials, method validation and also reference measurement services," she said

BRiCM has so far developed 3912 chemical measurement (analytical) services, calibration services for 22 analytical equipment of laboratory and industry, and 32 medical equipment used in medical diagnostic laboratories. BRiCM has also organised 41 proficiency testing programmes and also participated in 7 international proficiency testing programmes, produced 3 reference materials (pH Buffer, Diclofenac Na & Acetaminophen), she added.

Mala Khan pointed out that said, in the fight against Covid-19, BRiCM has developed, produced and delivered hand rub, sanitiser, Covid-19 specimen collection kit (VTM), Bangasafe oronasal spray, Covid-19 specific antibody (IgG) test service, Genome sequencing of Coronavirus.