Ensuring Consumer Rights in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Consumer Movement and Consumer Protection Law

Abstract

In the era of globalization in the twenty first century, consumer rights have emerged as an integral component of human rights. Consumer rights apply universally to all consumers; therefore, everyone is protected under the laws of consumer rights. In this context, the breaking of the consumer rights laws shall be treated in the same gravity and to the same extend as the breaking the human rights law. The United Nations Organisation (UNO) adopted Consumer Protection Guidelines in 1985 for ensuring consumer protection and provides its keen attention for establishing uniformity in upholding consumer rights in its member states. Thus, the issue of consumer rights and the consumer protection have taken statutory attention in different countries around the world. As a signatory of the UNO Guidelines numerous developed and developing countries which include many Asian countries have established legal provisions to guide their country towards consumer welfare. Although, Bangladesh has enacted Consumer Right Protection Act in 2009, its effect on consumer welfare is unclear. This paper analyses the context of consumer movement, existing legal framework on consumer protection and its execution in Bangladesh to find out the gaps between laws and its implementation process. A number of policy implications are drawn in order to improve consumer rights protection and align Bangladesh’s legal system with the standards of industrialized nations.