MoC set to expand DNCRP offices in all diststricts

---

Badrul Ahsan The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has taken steps to expand offices of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) in the country's 64 districts to strengthen activities for establishing consumers' rights, officials said. Besides, the ministry has also taken a set of pro-active decisions to ensure smooth operation of the department and also to raise awareness among the consumers. The steps include recruitment of workforce, establishment of testing laboratories, procurement of new vehicles, distribution of leaflets, staging road-shows and stage-shows, and seminars and symposia on a regular basis. The MoC has already transferred some 10 deputy secretaries to the DNCRP on deputation and established its five offices in different divisional cities including Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna. It has also completed all formalities to establish offices in other divisional cities immediately. "We have completed all formalities for expanding our offices in all divisions. Now we are waiting for approval of appointment rules from the government, Director General of DNCRP, Md Abul Hossain Mian told the FE Sunday. "The government has also taken decision to expand its offices in 64 districts within the earliest possible time to ensure protection of consumers' rights across the country. An assistant director would oversee the activities of each office," Mr Hossain added. "The department has started process of appointing a group of assistant directors and some other officials through the Public Service Commission (PSC) for posting in its offices in all divisions and districts of the country," he added. Mr Hossain also said, "We have almost completed our market raid in all divisional and district headquarters excluding three hill tract districts and got huge appreciation from the consumers." The DNCRP DG has expressed his hope that they would be able to launch regular raid in 40 to 50 markets and commercially important places after appointment of the required manpower. According to the DNCRP sources, procurement of pick-up vans is under process. The department has also decided to establish modern testing labs at its offices to ensure availability of testing facility to the consumers. The government formulated the National Consumer Rights Act 2009 and established the DNCRP in 2011. The department is now operating in Dhaka and two other divisional cities. The DNCRP has so far penalised over three thousand business organisations for violating consumers' rights. It has also deposited around Tk 34 million, realised as fines with the public exchequer, The penalties were imposed on traders for not affixing price on packet of products, selling goods at prices more than their fixed rates, adulteration of food items, producing goods without obtaining licences, misguiding consumers through fake advertisement and manipulating weight etc.