The Department of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks (DPDT) approved the geographical indication (GI) status for four items today and published the approval in journals.
These products are Haribhanga mangoes from Rangpur, Agar from Moulvibazar, Agar-Attar, also known as Agar oil, from Moulvibazar, and the sweetmeat Monda from Muktagacha, according to a Ministry of Industries press release.
Products are given the GI label if they have distinctive qualities that help in identifying their country of origin, qualities that can be defined by the materials, environment, and culture in which they were manufactured.
This effectively draws attention to the traditions and status of goods produced in a specific region or nation, enabling them to be sold for greater prices than similar products produced outside.
The GI tag, which is a type of intellectual property right, guarantees that the marketing rights and legal protection of certified items are exclusive to their country of origin.
Following guidelines established by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Industries Ministry`s DPDT grants this recognition.
The purpose of the Geographical Indication (Registration and Protection) Act of 2013 is to preserve intellectual property rights for products manufactured with the originality and traditions of local manufacturers.
On September 1, 2015, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation applied to the DPDT to get GI certification for Jamdani, a delicate muslin textile that is mostly used to make sarees.
In 2016, jamdani, which has been made in Narayanganj for centuries, was approved as the country`s first GI product.