Staff Reporter
The government is likely to pass the much-talked-about consumer rights protection law, first ever in the country, next month providing provisions of imprisonment and financial penalty in cases of consumer rights violation.
Minister for Commerce Lt Col (Retd) Faruq Khan yesterday told reporters that the Consumer Rights Protection Ordinance promulgated by the previous caretaker government would be enacted into a law in the current session of Parliament. Abdul Jalil, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce Ministry, said the committee is now scrutinizing “We’ll soon give our recommendations,” he said.
According to the bill, a businessman found guilty under the proposed law could face a maximum three-year jail term and Tk 2,00,000 in fines, Ministry sources said.
The bill also provides provisions for at least 20 types of crimes ranging from hoarding, flouting of packaging rules to over-charging for products.
The proposed law stipulates formation of a National Consumer Protection Rights Council to be headed by the Commerce Minister and it will have branches at the district level.
Under the proposed law, the Government will also set up consumer rights protection tribunals in districts and sub-districts to check unfair practices related to consumers’ goods. Besides, consumers will be allowed to take legal steps individually.
Consumer rights activists in the country who had launched vigorous campaign since early 1990s for regulatory mechanism over businesses to safeguard consumer rights welcomed the move, hoping the government would enforce the law accordingly.
Quazi Faruque, General Secretary of Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh (CAB), a nongovernmental organisation for protecting consumer’s rights, said the proposed law will help to reduce market foul playing.
He said the CAB wants to see its effective enforcement for the welfare of the common people.
Against the backdrop of the long standing demand for a consumer rights protection law, the government had started the process for the drafting a law ten years ago, but the process remained stalled for years.
Courtesy of http://nation.ittefaq.com
