Bangladesh now has 55 geographical indication (GI) products, 24 of which have newly received certificates.

The registration certificates for the new GI products were handed over on Wednesday (30 April) at an event marking World Intellectual Property Day.

The new products are: Sirajganj gamchha, Sirajganj lungi, Mirpur katan saree, Sylhet Manipuri saree, Cumilla khadi, Kumarkhali bedsheets, Dhakai phuti karpas cotton, phuti karpas cotton seed and plant, Jamurki sandesh of Mirzapur in Tangail, Naogaon Nak Fazli mango, Munshiganj patkhir, Dinajpur Bedana litchi, Barishal amra, Austagram paneer, Kishoreganj rata boro paddy, Gazipur jackfruit, Sherpur chhanar payesh, Sundarbans honey, Gopalganj bronze jewellery, Brahmanbaria chhanamukhi sweets, Magura Hazrapuri litchi, Bhola buffalo milk curd, Madhupur pineapple and Narsingdi lotkon.

The products already registered are: Tangail saree, Jamalpur nakshikantha, Gopalganj rasgolla, Rajshahi sweet paan, Narsingdi Amritasagar banana, Jashore date palm molasses, Muktagachha monda, Moulvibazar agar attar, Moulvibazar agar, Rangpur Haribhanga mango, Kushtia tiler khaja, Cumilla rasmalai, Porabari chamcham of Tangail, Bangladesh's Black Bengal goat, Natore kachagolla, Chapainawabganj Ashwina mango, Chapainawabganj Langra mango, Sherpur Tulshimala rice, Bogura doi, Bangladesh's shital pati, Bangladesh's bagda shrimp, Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj Fazli mango, Dhakai muslin, Rajshahi silk, Rangpur shataranji, Bangladesh's kalijira, Dinajpur Kataribhog, Bijoypur white clay, Chapainawabganj Khirsapat mango, Bangladesh's hilsa and Jamdani saree.

A GI certificate means the products will be known worldwide as Bangladesh's own. Following the rules of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT) under the Ministry of Industries grants GI recognition and certificates.

If a country's environment, climate and culture play a part in producing a product, and it can be defined geographically and traditionally as the country's "own", it is recognised as that country's geographical indication product.

Products that receive this recognition have geographical qualities, standards and distinct features. Once a product is GI-recognised it becomes easier to brand worldwide, and it is valued at home and abroad. After certification the region also gains the right to produce the product commercially and legal protection, and no other country or person can claim ownership of it.

Bangladesh's Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act was first passed in 2013. After the rules under the act were framed in 2015, the DPDT invited applications for GI registration. Under the law, any person, association, institution or organisation must apply to the DPDT with sufficient evidence and data. Applications are examined in various ways, and if there are errors the applicant is told what to change or correct. If everything is in order after the information is considered, the application is published in the journal. After publication, anyone wishing to oppose it has up to two months. The final step is the GI certificate, or registration certificate.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.