The World Consumer Rights Day was observed in the country on Tuesday as elsewhere in the world with the theme 'Fairness in Digital Finance’. Let us take a fresh vow irrespective of parties and opinions to raise voice against food adulteration, unjustified price hike of essential commodities and cheating consumers alongside forging social resistance against unscrupulous and greedy traders.
The government earlier enacted the Consumers’ Rights Protection Act, 2009, which prohibits adulteration, hoarding, smuggling, black marketing, cheating or fraud in weight and measurement and selling products at higher prices. Unfortunately, country’s consumers are still bearing the brunt of skyrocketing price hike, food adulteration and cheating under the very nose of the authorities concerned. Although in some cases, legal measures are being taken against the people who are violating the rights of consumers by conducting operations in markets the grim scenario is still prevailing everywhere across the country. Apart from unusual price hike of daily essentials, country’s people are being compelled to buy adulterated and outdated food items and medicines. So, many people are suffering from various deadly diseases as they are consuming unsafe foods.
Creating public awareness
about rights of consumers
has become inevitable
Refraining from all illegal activities associated with essential commodities and food items, traders will have to become conscious about the rights of consumers and provide safe food items and essentials at reasonable price. The government must take steps to protect the rights of consumers. Along with the government consumers will also have to come forward to protect their rights. Creating public awareness about rights of consumers has become inevitable considering the current situation. The consumer rights movement will have to be spread all over the country and the activities of coordination committees formed earlier with representatives from different professions at division, district and upazila levels to establish the rights of consumers, will also have to be strengthened further. The government’s anti-formalin drives will also have to be intensified to check the use of formalin in food items apart from keeping the prices of goods at reasonable and tolerable level.
