Some more areas to come under consumers rights law

The process is now at the final stage to amend the existing Consumers Right Protection Act 2009 bringing some more some areas of business under it, officials said.

The areas are laundry, tailoring, beauty parlour, courier and Hajj services.

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has prepared the draft amendment to the law after consultations with the stakeholders.

An interministerial meeting approved the draft law on December 17 last at the ministry of commerce (MoC).

"The interministerial meeting approved the draft Consumers Right Protection (Amendment) Act, 2017 on December 17 last," director general of DNCRP Md Shafiqul Islam Laskar told the FE.

He said the proposed draft amendment would now be vetted by the ministry of law, justice and parliamentary affairs.

After the vetting it would be sent to the Cabinet through the commerce ministry for its nod, he added.

However, consumers' rights groups have suggested implementing all the relevant laws properly and efficiently for protecting consumers' rights.

"The consumers rights law should be framed by adhering to the constitutional provisions," Prof Md Shamsul Alam of Consumers Association of Bangladesh told the FE.

The DNCRP is conducting marketing monitoring drives under the existing Consumers Rights Protection Act, 2009 for protecting the consumers right across the country.

Apart from DNCRP, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) are also working to ensure consumers' rights.

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