Banglalink fined for helpline fraud

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has fined mobile operator Banglalink Tk 25,000 for cheating a customer through its helpline call centre.

After a hearing on Sunday at the DNCRP office, its Deputy Director Md Abdul Jabbar in a verdict fined Banglalink following a complaint of Ahammad Ali Moon from Chapainawabganj district.

On February 20, Moon filed a complaint, saying he had called the operator's helpline around 8pm on January 27 but no one attended his call though it rang for 1 hour 29 minutes and 58 seconds.

However, the operator charged him Tk 54.79 for the call, the complainant said.

In his petition, Moon said customers are paying money for the service but the operator charges them without giving the service.

After hearing both sides, Jabbar ordered Banglalink to pay the customer 25 percent of the fine as compensation.

Asif Ahmed, head of Banglalink corporate communications, said they received the DNCRP order.

"Banglalink is always at the forefront in ensuring the best customer experience…With due respect to DNCRP, we believe that Banglalink has maintained the required level of customer service and did not violate any consumer right," he added.

Earlier in February, DNCRP also fined Grameenphone and Robi after complaints from consumers.

In those two cases, the government agency fined Robi Tk 5,000 and Grameenphone Tk 2.5 lakh.