Manpower shortage threatens to scuttle full monitoring of Ramadan market

The state-run Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) is ill-equipped to conduct market monitoring in the holy month of Ramadan due to the shortage of manpower and inadequate logistics, officials said.
Shortage of manpower and insufficient logistics support have been hampering the government market monitoring agency's efforts to curb food adulteration and weight manipulation by unscrupulous traders, they said.
At present, only two teams of DNCRP carry out market monitoring drives in the capital five days in a week (except Friday and Saturday), making it difficult for the teams to monitor the whole city's markets.
"Our manpower is limited. So, it's not possible for us to conduct monitoring drives fully," director general (DG) of DNCRP Md Shafiqul Islam Laskar admitted while talking to the FE.
However, the chief of the DNCRP expressed the hope that the number of teams during Ramadan would be increased.
"We will monitor kitchen markets throughout Ramadan. We are considering increasing the number of monitoring teams to four from the existing two," he said.   
Currently, the DNCRP conducts market monitoring drive in a handful of markets in the capital due to the shortage of manpower and logistics such as vehicles and members of law enforcement agencies.  
The National Consumers Rights Protection Act-2009 had paved the way for the formation of DNCRP with the objective of protecting the consumers' rights.  
Since the inception of the directorate, it has conducted raids against the profit-monger traders at different markets and shops with a limited number of manpower.
The DNCRP started operations in 2010. The government agency imposes fines on unscrupulous traders, who mix chemicals with food, sell products in an unhygienic condition and manipulate weight and violate consumers' rights.
Under this law, consumers will be protected from making windfall profits by cheating consumers either through weight manipulation, food adulteration or selling those beyond their expiry dates.
A high official of the ministry of commerce (MoC) told the FE that manpower crisis of DNCRP will be resolved soon as some formalities for fresh appointment have been completed.
The DNCRP has taken an initiative to make consumers aware about their rights to help them encourage lodging complaints in case of violation of their rights by the unscrupulous traders.
The officials of DNCRP have been maintaining monitoring drive at different markets and commercial areas in the city and in other towns with the help of the law enforcement agencies.
Under the existing law, a consumer may get 25 per cent of fined money realised from the traders if he or she wins the case lodged with the DNCRP against the traders found involved in unlawful practice.
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