DHAKA: The High Court has ordered the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) to open a hotline number within two months to receive consumers’ complaints and take proper actions.
The High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil on Sunday (June 16) passed the order during a rule hearing issued over removing 52 substandard products from market.
In reply to the court's question, an official of the Consumer Rights Protection Department said that the tendering process for introducing hotline number is in progress.
Later, the HC said according to the information by the Consumers' Right Protection Department, people can lodge complaint by dialing 01777753668 and they will be able to lodge complaint to 999 and 333.
The court also asked the department to keep these numbers and hotline open round the clock.
Earlier, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) chairman Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque offered unconditional apology to the High Court (HC) over failure in withdrawing 52 banned food items from the market.
He was exempted from contempt of court rule after he had appeared before the HC to seek apology for not complying with the court order.
Lawyers Kamal Ul Alam and AM Amin Uddin stood for the BFSA chairman in the courtroom.
Earlier on May 23, the High Court asked the chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) to appear before it on June 16 and explain about his failure.
The HC bench also issued a court contempt rule against the BFSA chairman.
He was asked to reply the rule within next two weeks.
However, Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) recently banned 52 branded products after marking them substandard.
On May 12, the HC ordered BFSA and Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) to remove from market the 52 substandard products, after hearing of a writ plea.
Besides, the court also asked for a report to be submitted on May 23 upon implementing the order.
On that day the HC issued the rule against the BFSA chairman as both of its orders weren't implemented.
BDST: 1831 HRS, JUNE 16, 2019
RS/SMS
