Tipu Munshi blames dishonest businesses for banks' bad condition

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said due to corrupt and dishonest businesspeople, banks were becoming empty of money. 

He spoke at a seminar organized to mark World Consumer Rights Day 2109 at the capital’s Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Thursday.

He urged the people to stand against the bank irregularities and also work for the welfare of the honest businesspeople.

He said, as like other fundamental rights, people of this country had the right to buy safe commodities at fair prices and stressed that not only the traders, but also the consumers had to play their roles for ensuring their rights. 

“The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection is totally a corruption-free organization. Like this, every other sector has to be free from corruption. 

“It is not possible to ensure a safe commodity market by only imposing punishment or fine on corrupt businessmen; everyone has to work to protect their rights," he said.

Golam Rahman, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said it was very much important to protect the money of depositors by bringing disciplines and regularities in the banking sector.

While speaking on consumer rights protection he said, since its establishment, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection was doing a commendable work. 

“But, for lack of sufficient manpower, this organization could not carry out its duty at the district levels," he mentioned. 

Considering the rights of all classes of consumers, he urged the government to fix the prices of 12-14 fundamental commodities and form a separate department for controlling prices.

“For ensuring consumer rights, as well as protecting them within a legal framework, everyone has to be more aware," he added.

Mofizul Islam, commerce ministry secretary, said that though this directorate was working to protect consumer rights, he was not sure about how much it was able to do so. 

“Here, morality is very much important to stop adulteration and dishonesty. Consumers as well as businessmen have to perform their duties by improving their morality to protect this rights," he suggested. 

“This organization can provide safe and standard commodities for the consumers at fair prices. By emergency and equitable solution to consumers' need, a reliable and confident relationship has to be established between consumers and traders," he said.

“If people accept this opinion and laws are enforced properly, the benefits of law will be ensured, but in this case too consumers awareness is essential," he added. 

Complaints against food adulteration and businesses have been rising. In last five years, the number of complainants increased by fifteen times. 

In 2014-15, the number of complaints were 268  and in 2018 it was 9,019. The total number of complains are 22,077 where 19,218 have been resolved. 

Shafiqul Islam Laskar, director general of Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection said in 2019 the number of complaints would exceed 10,000.