Staff Reporter

Seminar on Notification and Implementation of Consumer-Rights Protection Act, 2009 held at Kumarkhali, Kushtia. This seminar was held on Wednesday (May 29) at 10:30 am. at the upazila parishad auditorium organized by the upazila administration.

Under the chairmanship of Assistant Commissioner (Land) Kumarkhali, Md. Amirul Arafat, Women Affairs Officer Ferdous Nazneen, Upazila Secondary Education Officer Ejaz Kaiser, BRDB Officer Md. Moniruzzaman, Nagarik Parishad President Md. Akram Hossain, General Secretary of Public Library, Mumtaz Begum, etc. Media workers were present.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) Kumarkhali, Md. Amirul Arafat said in the president’s speech, positive changes are coming among traders and buyers due to the nationwide activities of the Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection. Consumers have no choice but to be aware of consumer rights. The marketing system of the country is constantly becoming online based. There is a need to make redressal easier if someone is cheated by buying a product on an online marketing platform.

He also said that the consumer should be aware of his rights. If people are aware of their rights and try to get redressal of injustice under the law, then the establishment of rights will be easier. Unscrupulous businessmen break the law to make more profit, even adulterate baby food. Consumers suffer due to adulteration. Everyone should know and inform about the Consumer Rights Act and its implementation to make people aware to protect the rights of buyers or consumers.

After the enactment of laws in the country to protect consumer rights, there has been an increase in awareness among traders and consumers. If public awareness about this law increases more, it will be easier to protect consumer rights. Law is not only to punish but also an attempt to keep everyone away from illegal activities. Consumption of adulterated food products causes many diseases in the human body. He said artificial colors and harmful chemicals should not be added to food. It is a punishable offense to tamper with the period and price mentioned on the packaging of the product.

It was informed in the seminar that there is an opportunity to get remedy under the Consumer Rights Protection Act against any criminal activity against the interest of the consumer. Failure to display the price list in the market or at the point of sale, selling products at a higher price than the fixed price, selling adulterated products or medicines, using prohibited products in food products, cheating the buyers by false advertisement including weight manipulation, the accused can be punished under this law with imprisonment, fine or both. has A consumer has an opportunity to lodge a complaint within 30 days if he has been cheated by purchasing any product or service. Complainant will get 25 percent of the fine collected if the complaint is proved in the investigation and fine is imposed.

Speakers at the seminar discussed the provision of complaints and criminal penalties under the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009. They said that not only the administration should work to protect consumer rights, but we should all be vigilant. Before buying any product, check the price and date. If any consumer rights are violated anywhere, the administration should be informed. In addition to changing the mindset of businessmen to make excessive profits, we all need to change the mindset. If the consumer is aware then this right will be easily implemented.