Lone consumer rights body struggling

Though its journey began seven years back aiming to protect consumer rights, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has failed to make people aware about its own activities.

However, it is now planning to build seven software applications to reach out to people, and give the consumers an easy option to lodge their complaints through their mobile phones.

The DNCRP authorities said they are also going to launch a vigorous campaign to make consumers aware of their rights.

“People are still in the dark about the activities of the DNCRP… many don't even know the existence of such a government body,” said Ashis Kumar Dey, general secretary of the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways.

The government should take effective measures, especially media campaigns, to make people aware.

Chairman of the Institute of Water and Environment Eng M Enamul Haque alleged that due to a lack of proper accountability of top DNCRP officials, the organisation failed to get a desired response from people.

Contacted, Ghulam Rahman, president of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said most consumers are yet to know that they can get remedy after lodging complaints with the DNCPR offices.

He also thinks the DNCRP cannot perform well due to inadequate funds and manpower.

Contacted, DNCRP Director General Shafiqul Islam Laskar claimed that they have been trying to create awareness among consumers about their rights, despite having limitations, including inadequate manpower and funds.

The DNCRP is getting a huge number of complaints every day as the consumers are now very much aware of their rights, he added. Laskar said they have already sought funds from the government to carry out an awareness campaign.

“We've planned to build seven apps, and three of them will be available by the next fiscal year. The consumers will be able to lodge their complaints through their mobile phones…”

Sources at the DNCRP said it has so far earned around Tk 25 crore as fine from various companies and trading houses since the Consumer Rights Protection Act-2009 (CRPA-2009) came into effect on April 6, 2010.

The money was collected through disposing of around 8,653 complaints as well as conducting 8,833 drives in markets and trading houses between April 10 and December 31, 2017.

A total of 33,980 organisations were fined either following the complaints filed by aggrieved consumers or during market drives.

The CRPA, 2009 was formulated to provide protection of consumer rights and also to prevent any acts against consumer rights and interest and other relevant issues.

According to the CRPA-2009, an aggrieved consumer can get 25 percent of total fine, while the DNCRP get the rest 75 percent.