The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Consumer courts need to be set up in all districts of the country to make the proposed Consumer Rights Protection Ordinance'2008 consumer-friendly, speakers told a review meeting here yesterday.

They said it is not possible to establish consumer rights with the traditional judiciary system, as it is highly bureaucratic and time-consuming.

Arranged by Commerce Ministry at the conference room of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) in the morning, the meeting was attended, among others, by senior officials of different ministries and departments, and representatives from private institutions and security agencies. Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman attended the function as chief guest.

Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed, Law secretary Kazi Habibul Awal, additional secretary of Home Ministry Sheikh Abdur Rashid, additional secretary of Commerce Ministry Golam Mustakin, Director General of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) Azmal Hossain, Chief Controller (Import and Export) Zahirul Alam, Director General of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Shamsul Alam Khan, President of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI) Latifur Rahman and President of Consumers' Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Borhan Ahmed and businessmen, among others, addressed the meeting. The Commerce Adviser said the proposed consumers act is being reviewed for the last time before its finalisation following directives of the Council of Advisers.

After the meeting, Dr Hossain Zillur told UNB that he hoped the draft would be finalised in June next.

Most of the speakers at the meeting said the common people are unlikely to be benefited from the consumer rights act if it is enacted based on the present draft unless special consumer court is set up in every district of the country.

According to the draft, they said, a consumer is supposed to go to court for justice with the help of BSTI officials and it will take about 90 days to finalise the process of filing a case seeking trial of the accused manufacturer of products. Hence, there should be consumer courts where the common people will have direct access to filing cases.

About the demand for consumer courts, the law secretary admitted the necessity of setting up such consumer courts, but voiced concerned that if the government now wants to set up consumer courts it will take another five years to enact the consumers act.

Representatives of the business community also demanded formation of Arbitration Board for settling possible disputes among the sellers and buyers.

About the arbitration board, the law secretary said it is not necessary to set up such board as "thousands of disputes could be resolved just using our social conscience."

The meeting was told that the draft suggested formation of a Consumers Right Protection Council comprising 21 members headed by the commerce minister that will supervise implementation of the proposed law.