The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The government should introduce Consumer's Right Act immediately to ensure fundamental rights of the people, said speakers in a seminar yesterday.

Bangladesh Journalists Forum for Consumers and Investors (BJFCI) and Financial Media-Bazar Information and Development (BID) jointly organised a seminar titled "Role of Media to Establish Consumer's Right and to Preserve the Interest of Small Investors" at the National Press Club auditorium to celebrate the International Consumers' day.

Dr Shoyeb Ahmed, Former Adviser of the Caretaker Government said as Chief Guest, we have to find out the cause of the problems first that we face in our day-to-day life. Huge population causes most of the problems in our country. We have to check the speedy growth of population first to solve these problems. He also urged the people of Bangladesh to change their food habit so that pressure on rice can be reduced.

He said the government should create more employment opportunity to increase income of the people. Abed Khan, Editor of Dainik Samakal, said the consumer's right depends on good governance, rules of law and democracy.

The caretaker government is not accountable to the masses. That is why the price of daily essentials is rising tremendously. There are a number of rules in our country but these rules are not applied properly.

He questioned the government why the drive against adulterated food has been stopped without giving any reason.

Saiful Bari, Chief Adviser of ATN Bangla, said, the price of daily essentials would be reduced after forming an elected government because they would be accountable to the people as they are elected by them.

He urged the government to reduce unproductive expenditure in maintaining excess manpower in different government organisation.

Faruk Ahmed, President of BJFIC, said in his keynote paper, the major causes of violation of consumers rights are-insufficient market information, lack of consciousness, double standard of consumers and absences of effective law regarding consumers' right. Consumers, media and the government should work together to preserve consumer's rights.

Alamgir Mohiuddin, Editor of Dainik Naya Diganta, Kamal Uddin Sabuj, General Secretary of National Press Club, Sha Alamgir, Head of news of ETV, Rafikul Islam Ratan, Chief Reporter of Dainik Jugantor, Shakhawat Hossain, Managing Director of Western Marin Shipyard Ltd, Saiful Alam, Deputy Managing Director of Asian Lands Development Ltd, among others, were present in the seminar.