The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Vienna, has invited Prof. Manubhai Shah, Chairman Emeritus, Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad, as a Regional Expert in Consumer Affairs, Standards Setting and Market Surveillance, and Dr. Julian Edwards, former Director General of the Consumers International (CI), London, as an International Expert under a Special Service Agreement for the Bangladesh Quality Support Programme.

The CI is coordinating the project in conjunction with UNIDO. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) have been named partner organisations for the project.

Prof. Shah has been named the Regional Expert in the context of his experience of the developments in India that will be more relevant to Bangladesh than in terms of US or European consumer organisations. It is more so because India once included what are now Pakistan and Bangladesh and, therefore, the ethos, language, and culture of the region is the same.

As a Regional Expert, Prof. Shah visited the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute Bangladesh from 9 to 19 June 2006.

Prof. Shah and Dr. Julian Edwards will jointly submit their report to UNIDO.