Table of Content

1. Brief history of the consumer movement

2

2. United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection

4

3. Consumers Association of Bangladesh, (CAB)

5

4. Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009

6

5. Recommendation for increasing consumer awareness about their

right 8
6. References

1. Brief history of the consumer movement

Consumer rights take hold
The first ever international conference of leaders from consumer organizations took
place in The Hague on March 1960. Five of the 17 organizations present signed
papers to create the International Organization of Consumers Unions (IOCU). The
global consumer movement was born.
Consumer boom
The increasing number of consumer goods on offer was accompanied by rising
wages across Europe and North America. Consumer organizations sprang up to
analyze the products, provide independent advice, and to challenge rogue traders.
Testing
The following years saw a steady expansion in testing collaboration among these
new organizations and a widening of focus for IOCU. Newly formed groups were
invited to join from across the world and IOCU's first global newsletter was
launched.
The developing world
Meanwhile at the biennial conferences that IOCU organized, leaders spoke of a
wider consumer agenda, and particularly the need to address poverty, access to
basic goods and services, and the challenges faced by consumers in developing
countries.
Regional offices
2

In the early 1970s, a regional office was created in Asia. Its advisory committee
came from India, Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji and the Philippines, a very different
stakeholder group from the founders of IOCU itself.
Issue-based networks
Anwar Fazal, head of the Asia Pacific Office, took IOCU into new ways of
campaigning and advocacy.
He targeted transnational corporations with specific campaigns, and played a
leading role in setting up issue-based networks with partners from outside the
consumer movement, including the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN).
These networks were early pioneers of a new method of campaigning for NGOs,
which brought together disparate groups on a particular issue for a particular
purpose. IOCU's role in the networks made it one of the early leaders of the
international NGO community.
UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection
These

methods

and

activities

brought

results.

Among

them,

the

seminal

international document of the consumer movement - the United Nations Guidelines

on Consumer Protection - was adopted by the UN in 1985 after 10 years of
campaigning. This gave important legitimacy to the principles of consumer rights
and practical support for developing national consumer protection legislation.
The need for a global consumer voice
IOCU published a Latin American newsletter through its member organization in
Mexico from 1981 and eventually opened a regional office in Uruguay in 1986.
Work began in Africa in the late 1980s leading to the set up of a regional office in
Zimbabwe in 1994.
Capacity building
Through the 1990s IOCU managed extensive capacity building programs in all parts
of the world, training both in methods (such as institutional management, research
and fundraising) and on specific issues. Membership numbers increased to nearly
250 from around 115 countries. The consumer movement had indeed become
global.

WTO
Advocacy began to focus on international trade negotiations, particularly those of
the newly formed World Trade Organization (WTO). IOCU also increased its work at
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Codex Alimentarius
Commission (food standards) as international standards became the reference point
for disputes about artificial barriers to trade.
These developments in global governance made it increasingly difficult for
individual countries to adopt national standards that were different from those
agreed internationally.
IOCU becomes Consumers International
By the late 1990s, a much-altered organization was in place, a transition symbolized
by a change of name from IOCU to Consumers International (CI) in 1995.
Campaigning and member development was a particular priority in Central and
Eastern Europe and in Africa. In the former, CI helped create a sustainable
consumer presence very nearly from scratch in countries struggling first with
democracy and transition to market economies, and then with the demands of
preparations to join the EU.
Many publications appeared in three languages. World Congresses were held for the
first time in Latin America (Chile, 1997) and then Africa (South Africa, 2000). And
CI's Presidents came, successively, from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, Brazil and
Kenya.

2. United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection

The United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection (UNGCP) act as an
international

reference

point

of

the

consumer

movement,

but

with

new

developments in technology and business practices, there is a strong argument for

revising them to ensure they are still relevant to the challenges facing consumers.

The guidelines were adopted by the UN in 1985 after 10 years of campaigning by CI.
They gave important legitimacy to the principles of consumer rights and practical
support and guidance for developing national consumer protection legislation.
In 1999, they were updated with a new section on sustainable consumption and
production (section G) to reflect environmental concerns emerging during the
1990s.
The guidelines have been interpreted by CI and 'translated' into clear consumer
rights as follows:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.

The
The
The
The
The
The
The
The

right
right
right
right
right
right
right
right

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

the satisfaction of basic needs

safety
be informed
choose
be heard
redress
consumer education
a healthy environment.

3. Consumers Association of Bangladesh, (CAB)

Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), a non-government and non-profit
voluntary organization, was founded in 1978 and got its registration with the
Department of Social Services in 1983 and with the NGO Affairs Bureau in 1986.
Since its inception CAB has been organizing programmes and activities for
promotion and protection of the rights and interests of the general consumers in the
country.
The major areas of CAB activities are consumer information and education,
monitoring of market prices and qualities of essential

commodities

and

services, complaints handling and providing legal support, campaign for promotion
& protection of breast feeding, price stability of essentials, anti-tobacco movement,
road safety, safe environment, safe food and commodities, research and studies on
consumer issues and problems, representation and lobbying with policy makers,
government and non-govt. agencies for enactment of Consumer Protection Law
(CPL) and on various other consumer issues and problems for consumers`
protection.

CABs involvement in Consumer Education consists of discussion meetings as well

as training programs. The former was conducted according to the various groups
such as teachers, students, journalists, lawyers, business leaders, religious leaders,
women leaders, trade union leaders, housewives, NGO workers and social activists.
The following are activities by CAB on Consumer Education:
The formation of Consumer Education Volunteer Groups in urban and rural areas.
Training and orientation of Consumer Education Group (CEG) members who then
organize group meetings to discuss issues pertaining to consumer rights and
consumers interest.
Training and orientation programs on consumerism, consumer rights and related
issues for NGO workers, teachers, students, women leaders, journalists, social and
consumer activists.
A national seminar on the role of teachers in the promotion and protection of
consumer rights in the country at the National Press Club, Dhaka on 11 April 1996.
Based on the observations and recommendations of the participants, CAB prepared
a project proposal on Consumer Education Program in primary and secondary
schools.

4. Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009

The Protection of consumer rights is now a global agenda. Bangladesh, a third world
country, is struggling to fulfill the basic needs of its population. Socialism meaning
economic and social justice, a fundamental principle of the state policy and the
constitution is yet to be implemented although 43 years have already passed since
its independence.

The Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009 provided both civil and criminal
remedies. A consumer is entitled to lodge complain to the Consumer Rights
6

Protection Department for any violation of the Act. The Deputy Commissioners of
different districts can exercise the same power as given to the department. A
consumer although barred from filing a direct complaint to the police station under
the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009 can file a case to the Police station under
other Laws.
The Law on consumer rights not only prohibits adulteration, hoarding, smuggling,
black marketing, cheating or fraud in weight and measurement or in selling
products with higher price but also provides punishments for such acts. A
manufacturer or producer as well as a service provider or even in special
circumstances the seller is liable for adulterated foods or drugs or of other essential
commodities. The counterfeit products or stolen goods or adulterated food or drugs
are also prohibited for selling in the market and violation of which is punishable
under the penal Laws including death penalty under the Special Powers Act, 1974 or
imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of Tk.10 lakh under the Drug Control
Ordinances, 1982.
The Bangladeshi laws provides for the establishment of different organizations to
protect the rights of the consumers including various Courts or Tribunals such as(i) Consumer Rights Protection Department;
(ii) National Consumer Rights Protection Council;
(iii) Special Tribunal;
(iv) Mobile Court (can work/ function under various Laws; It may be constituted by a
special executive order);
(v) Drug Court;
(vi) Food Special Court;
(vii) Ordinary Criminal Courts;
(viii) Ordinary Civil Courts;
(ix) Marine Courts;
(x) BSTI;
(xi) Claims Tribunal etc.
The specific areas covered by the consumer rights Protection related statutes in
Bangladesh (Safety in Product) are:
7

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.

Adulteration of Food;
Sale of adultered food;
Adulteration of drug;
Sale of adultered drug;
Smuggling;
Black-marketing;
Counterfeiting of Product;
Sale of date-expired product;
Monopoly business;
Price hike, if fixed;
Weight & measurement;
Trade Marks;
Standards of Product and labeling;
Milk & substitute to breast-milk;

Specific areas covered by the consumer rights Protection related statutes in

Bangladesh (ensuring proper service) are:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

Medical service;
Legal service;
Security service or service by Law enforcing agencies;
Telecommunication service;
Energy Regulatory service;
Transport service that includes- Air, water, land i.e. motor vehicles and
railway etc.

5. Recommendation for increasing consumer awareness about their

right
In today's changing market scenario, there is an increasing necessity of empowering
the consumers through education and motivation regarding their rights and
responsibilities. He/she should be equipped to be fully vigilant so as to be able to
protect himself/herself from any wrongful act on the part of the seller/trader.
Several steps have been taken by the Government, both at the Central and State
level towards generating awareness among the consumers. Given all such
initiatives, it is the responsibility of the consumer as well to keep in mind the
following suggestions:

Purchase products only after their complete scrutiny and not at the cost of
attractive advertisements.
8

Keep check on the weighing and measuring instruments used by traders.

Avoid buying fruits and vegetables from unhygienic place.

Check print of MRP on the packet.

Check the quantity as per the figure printed on the packet.

Check the expiry date of the product, particularly that of eatables and
medicines.

Always collect bill at the time of purchase.

Moreover, the packaging and appearance of the product should not be the
guiding factor for consumer purchases. Along with cost consideration,
consumer must be cautious of the quality of the product. Most importantly, it
is the prime responsibility of a consumer to bring to the notice of the
concerned authorities, any violation in their rights.

6. References
http://www.consumersinternational.org
http://boi.gov.bd/index.php/component/businesslaws
http://www.consumerbd.org/
http://unctad.org/en/Pages/DITC/CompetitionLaw/UN-Guidelines