3 years jail and a fine for defrauding consumers

Staff Correspondent

The interim cabinet on Wednesday approved the Consumer Rights Protection Ordinance 2008, which prescribes 3 years' imprisonment and a fine to businessmen proved guilty of cheating consumers, a government spokesman said.

The CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told reporters, after the cabinet meeting at the Chief Adviser's Office, that charging more than the recommended retail price would be considered as a punishable act.
 
False advertising and cheating with weights of goods will be punishable under the new law, Munaim said.
 
According to the new ordinance, a 21-member National Consumer Rights Protection Council will be formed, headed by the commerce minister.
 
The commerce secretary, director general of the National Security Intelligence, director general of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, joint secretaries of the agriculture ministry industries ministry, home ministry, and law ministry, president of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh, representatives from civil society and the chairman of the National Women Agency would be among the members.
 
A National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate will implement the law, the director general of which will be member secretary of the council.
 
Every district will have a 10-member committee under the council to monitor consumer rights. Upazilas and unions will have similar committees.
 
Any consumer may file a case with the directorate, to be tried by a first class magistrate.
 
Anyone found violating the new law will face three years in prison, in addition to a Tk 2 lakh in fine.
 
The cabinet approved the new ordinance in principle on Nov 11 last year.
 
The process of formulating a law to protect consumer rights began in 1994.
 
Several committees were formed during past governments to draft the law, though none was approved at cabinet level.
 
Fahim Munaim said the interim cabinet on Wednesday also approved the Administration Tribunal (amendment) Ordinance 2008, which extends the time for appeal against a verdict in the tribunal to four months from three months.
 
The council of advisers also approved a proposed Memorandum of Understanding for manpower export to Libya. Bangladesh and Libya will sign an agreement during the visit of the Libyan manpower minister, who is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Sept 4.

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