A legal notice has been sent to Aarong urging the company to stop charging customers for paper shopping bags. The notice was sent on Monday (September 29) by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Nishat Farzana.

Farzana, a regular Aarong customer, said she has shopped at the store for many years and previously received the company’s logo-branded paper bags free of charge with every purchase. 

However, during a recent visit to the Mogbazar outlet, she discovered that no bags were being provided, and customers were now required to pay for them.

According to the notice, since September 2025, Aarong has stopped providing complimentary bags, instead selling low-quality paper bags at a charge. 

Customers are given a leaflet stating that proceeds from bag sales will be used for local tree-planting projects as part of green and sustainable development initiatives. 

Farzana criticized this approach, calling it “a form of extortion and unethical business practice” and argued that environmental initiatives should not be funded through compulsory charges for low-quality bags.

The notice also said that Aarong, one of the country’s largest fashion brands, is selling paper bags made from recycled paper that often become unusable immediately after a single use. Charging for such bags is “unreasonable” and disappointing to a large customer base.

Farzana further said that if Aarong bags reflected creativity or modern design, customers might willingly pay for them. Instead, the bags only carry the Aarong logo, and customers are forced to purchase them. The recent introduction of high-priced reusable fabric bags, which are small and require multiple purchases for multiple items, adds further financial pressure on average-income consumers.

The notice calls on Aarong to stop charging for paper bags and provide them for free. It also warns that if the company fails to comply within 10 days of receiving the notice, legal action will be taken against the unlawful practice.

MN/