Govt to mull imposing death penalty for illegal hoarding: DNCRP chief

The government may consider imposing death penalty for illegal hoarding of essential commodities causing market volatility, says the chief of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP).
There is evidence that some companies stock such goods profusely and stop their production willfully to increase prices artificially, said AHM Shafiquzzaman.
DNCRP has filed 54 cases against such companies through the Bangladesh Competition Commission on charge of illegal stock of goods and price manipulation.
The directorate will also launch a drive to check unusual price hike and artificial crisis of cattle in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, he said.
The DNCRP director general said these on Saturday while addressing a mock parliament session organised by Debate for Democracy (DfD) on FDC premises in the city.
Hassan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron, chairman of the DfD, chaired the programme.
Process is underway to amend the existing consumer protection law and to modernise it to resolve all its limitations, said Mr Shafiquzzaman in his chief guest's speech.
Political commitment is necessary to protect consumers' rights, he added.
The DNCRP chief said the political parties could consider incorporating the consumer right protection issue in their manifesto for next
election.
"DNCRP conducts drives within legal framework for the sake of ensuring consumer rights, not to harass anyone," he said.
Mr Kiron said consumers get deprived of their rights due to conspiracy of the illegal businessmen.
The directorate could resolve their complaints if they lodge those with sufficient evidence, he added.
The DfD chairman proposed DNCRP to arrange online hearing for the consumers to encourage them as many of them are not willing to visit the directorate office in person due to traffic congestion and time constraint.
He placed ten-point recommendation to the DNCRP chief including ensuring political commitment to stabilise commodity prices, incorporating consumer right issue in the election manifest of political parties and death penalty for hoarders.
Dhaka International University won the debate competition against Eastern University on a topic 'Organisational management is paying off to ensure consumers rights'.
doulotakter11@gmail.com