Govt forms consumer rights body

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/25/news0444.htm

Govt forms consumer rights body
Staff Reporter

The government yesterday constituted ‘National Consumers Rights Protection Council (NCRPC), according to a circular of the Ministry of Commerce yesterday.

The NCRPC would look into the matters related with the consumers’ interest as per the ‘Consumers Rights Protection Law-2009′.

Commerce Minister Mohammad Faruk Khan will be the chairman of the 29-member of the council. Thirteen member would represent government side while fifteen non-government officials will be included into the committee, it added.

The government officials in the council are Commerce Secretary, Director General of Directorate of National Security Agency, Director General of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute, Joint Secretary of the Industries Ministry, Joint Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry, Joint Secretary of Energy and Mineral Resources, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Chairman of Jatiya Mahila Sangstha and Additional Inspector General (IGP) of Special Branch.

President of FBCCI, President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), President of Jatiya Press Club and Habibur Rahman Siraj, secretary of Awami League on Labour Affairs, are, among those of the fifteen-member representing to the council from the non-government side.

Barua says BSTI modernisation continues

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Barua says BSTI modernisation continues
Bss, Dhaka

Industries Minister Dilip Barua said modernisation of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) is going to turn it into a well-equipped international standard organisation.

Once the BSTI, the lone state-run watchdog agency for monitoring food items and manufacturing products, is made an effective organisation by equipping it with modern apparatuses, it will help expedite the export process.

The minister was speaking at a discussion on `Tackling Climate Change through Standards’, organised by the BSTI on the occasion of the International Standard Day at its seminar room in Dhaka yesterday.

Govt mulling over ‘Competition Act’

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/03/05/60432.html

Govt mulling over ‘Competition Act’

FE Report

The government is considering enacting a ‘Competition Act’, aiming to help increase competitiveness among businesses so that they offer quality goods and services at fair prices.

One of the main objectives of the proposed act is that although prices and quality of various goods and services are determined by market forces, businesses have opportunity to control prices and other factors that can affect the consumers’ interest.

The enactment of new competition act along with the recently passed Consumers’ Protection Ordinance 2008 can help prevent unscrupulous business practices and promote a market-oriented economy, said the Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund (BICF) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank.

Keeping this end in view, the Ministry of Commerce and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) organised a consultation session Tuesday to discuss various aspects of the proposed Competition Act with the stakeholders concerned.

Representatives from the relevant government agencies, Board of Investment (BoI), Bangladesh Bank and trade bodies largely participated in the discussion with Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed in the chair.

The discussants observed that both consumers and businesses would benefit from an effective competition policy, said the BICF.

All sectors of the economy engaged in commercial activities will be covered by the proposed competition law except the sectors that are important for national security or strategic reasons for the sovereignty of the country, they said.

The speakers at the discussion expected that the new law would apply to government and private sector enterprises engaged in commercial and economic activities.

Once enacted, the law will be administered by the proposed Competition Commission of Bangladesh, they said, adding that the proposed commission was envisaged to be an independent body subject to checks and balances and accountable to the government and the people of Bangladesh.

National body for consumers’ rights protection formed

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National body for consumers’ rights protection formed

Naim-Ul-Karim

The government has formed a high-powered national body for drafting rules and regulations in line with the recently promulgated ‘Consumers Right Protection Ordinance-2008′ to shield the consumers from market foul plays, officials said Sunday.

The 21-member body under the name, ‘National Consumer Right Protection Parishad (NCRPP)’, is headed by the commerce Minister. A gazette notification to this effect was published in the first week of this month.

The NCRPP was formed after President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed promulgated the much-awaited Consumer Right Protection Ordinance (CRPO)-2008.

The Ordinance — first of its kind in the history of Bangladesh — would provide the government and the consumers the ‘necessary tools’ to detect market distortions and rein in ‘abnormal price hikes’ that have long been major causes of sufferings to the consumers.

The successive governments have tried to enact laws to curb hoarding and market manipulations, but their attempts failed mainly due to opposition by the vested interest groups.

The caretaker administration stepped up its effort to formulate the consumer protection law early this year amid soaring commodity prices, caused by a global spike and speculation and hoarding by some big traders in the country.

Experts and economists then said the absence of an effective consumer protection and competition laws has allowed the big traders to manipulate the situation at the expense of millions of the country’s poor consumers.

The 21-member NCRPP includes senior officials from the ministries of commerce, agriculture, fisheries, disaster management, home affairs, energy and law, Bangladesh Police, Drug Administration, Bangladesh Rifles, civil society, Jatiya Mahila Sangstha, National Security Intelligence (NSI) and the Bangladesh Standard Testing Institution.

The Parishad also includes presidents of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceuticals Industry, the Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh and National Press Club as members with director general of the consumer protection directorate as its member secretary.

The terms of reference empowers the parishad to make its recommendation to the government’s regarding consumers welfare.

The NCPRP will also be responsible to extend cooperation to the government while the latter would formulate new law and policies for further strengthening the consumers’ right.

Nat’l consumers’ rights protection council formed

http://www.newagebd.com/2008/dec/15/nat.html#2

Nat’l consumers’ rights protection council formed
Staff Correspondent

The government has formed a 23-member National Consumers’ Rights Protection Council to monitor the enforcement of the Consumers’ Rights Protection Ordinance 2008, said an official circular issued by the commerce ministry.

The commerce minister will act as chairman of the council constituted in line with Article 5 of the ordinance, which is likely to be enacted as law by the next parliament.

The director general of the proposed National Consumers’ Rights Protection Department will be its member secretary.

The council has also been entrusted with responsibility to frame rules under the ordinance aiming to achieve its objectives and provide guidelines to the director general and relevant district committees to implement the rules.

Apart from supervising the activities of the Consumers’ Rights Protection Department and the district committees concerned, the national council will be able to take necessary steps, it deemed fit, to uphold the rights of the consumers as per law, according to its terms of reference.

Members of the council include commerce secretary, director general of National Security Intelligence, director general of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, chairman of Jatiya Mohila Sangstha, an additional inspector general of police, a director of Bangladesh Rifles, director of Directorate of Drug Administration, presidents of Bangladesh Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh Oushadh Shilpa Samity, Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh and National Press Club, joint secretary-level officials from agriculture, industries, fisheries and livestock, food and disaster management, home affairs, energy and mineral resources and law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministries, and three representatives of civil society nominated by the government.

BSTI takes project to set up modern lab in Chittagong

http://www.newagebd.com/2008/nov/23/met.html#1

BSTI takes project to set up modern lab in Chittagong
Tushar Hayat . Chittagong

The regional office of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution here has taken up a Tk 100 crore project to install a modern laboratory to test standards of products.

BSTI sources said at the regional office, they can test only 49 out of 152 products under their supervision due to lack of equipment. They were being compelled to send the rests of items to Dhaka for testing standards.

Rezaul Karim, deputy director of BSTI in Chittagong, said Japan Bank for International Cooperation would provide funds to implement the project. ‘We have already invited tender to procure a 40 KV generator under the project.’

He said, ‘Process is on to appoint skilled manpower for the laboratory. We will start implementing the project in full swing by one month.’

A 10-storey building will be constructed at Jamboree Field in Agrabad area in the city under the project, he said, adding that they would be able to test standards of all the 152 products under the purview of BSTI on completion of the project.

‘Establishment of the laboratory will make the release of imported goods from the port faster as the importers will not have to wait for test reports from Dhaka.’

He also said that it would help protect public health from hazards of substandard and adulterated food items as they would be able take rapid measures against the perpetrators on completion of the project.

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also convener of the project, said setting up of a self-reliant laboratory at the regional office of the BSTI was an imperative to bring momentum in import business.

‘The CCCI has been demanding establishment of a modern laboratory in Chittagong for a long time,’ he said. On completion of the project, the lab would play a significant role in curtailing lead around time of vessels further at the Chittagong port, he added.

Govt to set up watchdog to oversee quality of food items

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Govt to set up watchdog to oversee quality of food items

FE Report

The government will establish a regulatory body to oversee the quality of consumer foods items, said Food and Health Adviser AMM Shawkat Ali Monday.

The adviser unveiled the government’s plan at a press conference in the city on the day, adding a high powered committee comprising senior officials of the relevant ministries will be formed soon to ensure quality of food items until establishment of the body.

“The high-powered committee will also be empowered to take action against those who produce adulterated consumer foods,” he said.

Mr. Ali said a technical committee will also be formed to extend support to the committee in conducting its activities.

He said the government will require two years of time to establish the regulatory body like those in the developed countries.

Apart from this, he said, they have taken measure to enhance capacity of all government laboratories.

Replying to a question, the adviser said the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) had already conducted laboratory tests on 32 products including Cadbury chocolates.

“The reports of the tests are yet to be available,” Mr Ali added.

Besides, testing milk and milk-made foods, he said, the BSTI will conduct laboratory tests on juice items available in the market to ensure their quality.

Replying to a question, he said the government has asked its agencies to strengthen inspection of bulk powered milk at every stage of import.

Replying to another question, he said the government considering taking initiative to make the Advertisement Act-1984 time-befitting so that local and foreign companies cannot cheat the consumers by dishing out false information about their products.

bdnews24.com adds: A high-level committee would be formed in the meantime, said Shawkat. A top-level official of the health ministry will lead the committee with members from the ministries of commerce and industry, among others.

Asked about the eight banned brands of milk powder still available in the market despite a High Court (HC) order, he said: “The government has not received the court order copy in hand yet.”

“It is not possible to take any measures in this regard until we get the copy,” he said.

“However the government has started to run mobile courts to stop the sale of the banned products after the news was published in the media,” he said.

The health ministry was also campaigning to spread the message to parents that there was no alternative to breast milk, Shawkat Ali said.

“The government has limitations. We do not have an adequate system of mobile courts compared to the huge number of retail shops.”

“The products might be sold due to lack of manpower. But the government is taking rigorous measures on the matter,” the adviser said.

The HC directed the government on October 23 to take quick measures in banning the display and sale of eight foreign powder milk brands.

The government has already halted the registration procedure of Chinese brands tainted with melamine, Yashli-1, Yashli-2 and Sweet Baby.

It has also asked deputy commissioners and civil sergeants to take legal actions to seize unregistered milk powders from the market.

A taskforce with sufficient members was also formed under the commerce ministry as per the demand of the health ministry, the adviser said.

Powdered milk samples were sent to Bangkok for further tests that would be completed in three to four days, he said.

RTI given go-ahead

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=55809

RTI given go-ahead
Shamim Ashraf

The council of advisers yesterday gave final approval to the much-awaited Right to Information (RTI) Ordinance 2008 aimed at ensuring people’s right to information.

New posts will be created in most of the government offices and non-government organisations (NGOs). Officials holding those posts will provide people with the information they seek within 20 days of receipt of applications from them, says the ordinance.

But in cases of issues concerning a person’s life and death, arrest and release from jail, the officials will have to provide primary information within 24 hours, it says.

The widely-debated law ensures people’s right to information from organisations run with public money, and the NGOs using foreign funds, Information Secretary Jamil Osman, who placed the proposal before the council of advisers, told The Daily Star last night.

The law covers government offices down to upazila level.

“The rest of the local government bodies, like union parishads, will be covered by the laws on different local bodies which have provisions for ensuring people’s access to information,” the information secretary said.

The RTI ordinance with 36 sections and a schedule of six security and intelligence agencies, which cannot be asked for information, has a list of about 20 instances of exemption from disclosure of information, an official said seeking anonymity.

The government said the new law will increase transparency and accountability, reduce corruption and establish good governance in government offices and NGOs.

Different rights and journalists forums have welcomed the government move terming final approval of the ordinance a ‘historic step’.

The advisory council gave final nod to the RTI Ordinance 2008, 94 days after it approved the ordinance in principle, at a meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed.

Details of the ordinance were not available immediately. It will come into effect after the president signs it.

Under the new law, people will have to pay fees for filing application seeking information. But people living below poverty line will be able to apply in white sheets of paper without paying any fees.

A three-member Information Commission headed by a chief information commissioner will be formed to properly enforce the law and deal with complaints from the information seekers.

“One of the two commissioners will be a woman,” Syed Fahim Munaim, press secretary to the chief adviser, told reporters after the council meeting.

The Information Commission, apart from financial liberty, has been entrusted with the authority to punish or fine officials who will fail to provide primary information on life and death, arrest and release of a person from prison within 24 hours, he said.

The president will appoint the chief information commissioner and information commissioners on the basis of suggestions from a five-member selection committee.

The chief justice will nominate a judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court to head the selection committee. The Speaker will nominate two parliament members — one each from the treasury and opposition benches– while the government will nominate one from among eminent citizens.

The cabinet secretary will be the other member of the selection committee.

If any assigned official does not provide information to an information-seeker as per the law, he will have to pay Tk 50 for a day’s delay and a total fine not exceeding Tk 5,000, according to a provision of the ordinance.

The ordinance will not cover National Security Intelligence, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, Military Intelligence Directorate, Special Security Force, Criminal Investigation Department of Police and Central Intelligence Cell of the National Board of Revenue.

This provision will not apply if the information concerns corruption and human rights violation.

Welcoming the government move, Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, which has been working for several years for enactment of the law, said, “It is historic. If there is anything that needs to be changed, it can be done later.”

Congratulating the government on its approval of the ordinance, Shawkat Mahmud, president of the Jatiya Press Club, also termed it a historic move.

The information secretary said 99 percent of the NGOs will be covered by the law. “We’ve tried to ensure maximum disclosure of information. If there is any lapse in the ordinance, there is always a scope to address that,” he said.

Describing implementation of the law as a crucial job, he said the main tasks include forming the information commission, creating information bank and information dissemination system at offices and training up the staff.

Against the backdrop of a longstanding demand, the caretaker government took the initiative to formulate an RTI law as part of its institutional reforms. After an eight-member government-formed body prepared a primary draft in February, opinions from different stakeholders were sought before the information ministry submitted it to the cabinet on June 18.

Govt mulls ethical society to curb graft

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=53959

Govt mulls ethical society to curb graft
Formulating National Integrity Strategy; PM to lead ADB-financed good governance project
Julfikar Ali Manik

The government is considering introducing a ‘national integrity strategy’ (NIS) in a bid to create an ethical society to back up its drives against rampant corruption.

The government aims at achieving the goal through ‘rebuilding integrity’ in every segment of the society including public, private and political sectors.

Though the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is responsible to prosecute the corrupt, policymakers of the present government believe it’s impossible to fight graft only by ACC through prosecution, say sources involved in formulation of NIS.

“So the government has taken initiatives to formulate NIS to combat corruption through moral-based approach to complement the ACC’s functions,” says a source.

Explaining the perspective of coming up with a new idea, another source argues: “Ineffective formal control and lack of social and citizen-oriented anti-corruption accountability mechanisms have added to what could be termed a crisis of integrity.”

“This calls for a longer-term change process with a strong reform regime that would sit at the core of the good governance agenda of the government,” the source adds.

“Given the holistic nature of a national integrity strategy, its full implementation would be long-term — more like a decade than months,” observes Barrister Manzoor Hasan, director of Institute of Governance Studies (IGS), Brac University, who is involved in formulation of NIS draft through consultation with cross-sections of people in the country.

The sources say the government is formulating NIS as part of the four-year project styled “Supporting the Good Governance Program” financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ADB is providing the government with a loan of $150 million (Tk 1,050 crore) for this project, which is likely to be increased up to $170 million, sources say. They add the donor agency also suggests that the government formulate NIS.

A draft of NIS is expected to be prepared by mid-September, said Matiar Rahman, joint secretary (committee and development) of the Cabinet Division, who is working as the co-coordinator of the Good Governance Programme.

Rahman said the ultimate goal of NIS is to strengthen integrity at the individual, institution and national levels “because the values, ethics and morals have already been distorted which we need to rebuild in every level.”

“The NIS is mainly to prevent corruption in government institutions. Our ultimate vision is to free the country from corruption. Through implementation of the strategy, we want to prevent corruption in public sectors and ensure proper service to people through public institutions.”

“We have plans to work on integrity issue from family to national level. As a result of NIS, we want to get a country free from corruption and people will get proper services from public offices,” added Rahman.

In Asia, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have such integrity strategies in different names. The Malaysian’s strategy is called ‘National Integrity Plan’, he said.

Different sources say India and Pakistan are also working to formulate such integrity strategies.

“We have examples that some countries have gained many achievements through implementation of such integrity policies,” said Barrister Manzoor Hasan.

“As integrity will increase in our society, the ordinary citizens have a greater sense of ownership. They will be able to express their views without fear. The quality of basic services — health and education — will improve,” he added.

The government has designated IGS to prepare the draft of the strategy and IGS submitted a National Framework on it to the Cabinet Division in June. The IGS on August 27 submitted another detailed document to the Cabinet Division as a process of finalising the draft.

Sources say initially it was proposed by IGS to set up a ‘national integrity institute’ by this month, which will be run under policy guidance of a high-powered National Integrity Advisory Committee (NIAC) headed by the prime minister or the chief adviser.

It was also proposed that the government would form a ‘national integrity council’ (NIC) to lead the implementation of the strategy and the government’s plan is to make NIC functional before the national elections proposed to be held in the third week of December.

But the government is not willing to set up a separate institute to implement NIS, the sources say. According to the policy guidance of NIAC, an NIS cell in the Cabinet Division headed by an additional or joint secretary will now facilitate implementation of the strategy through ministries, constitutional bodies and other institutions.

The NIS cell will facilitate formation of Ethics Committee and appointment of Ethics Focal Person in each ministry and other government institutes (those will be considered as participating agencies of NIS) headed by the secretaries of the ministries and head of the institutes.

The ethics committees will work to ensure integrity within the ministry and in other organisations or offices under the ministries in line with the national documents of NIS, which will set a minimum standard of integrity to be maintained.

Besides, these committees will make an action plan in line with NIS to implement the strategy in their offices, while Ethics Focal person will maintain liaison with NIS Cell in view of the progress of implementation.

“We cannot force people in private sectors to form such an ethics committee in their own arena, but we can request them to do so in the name of anything,” a source observes.

The sources say they are considering formation of NIAC drawing members from each participating agencies of the state institutions and non-state institutions.

The state institutions are parliament, the executive (cabinet ministers), judiciary, civil service, local government, public prosecution, Public Service Commission, ACC, the Election Commission, Ombudsmen and Comptroller and Auditor General.

Non-state institutions are family, civil society, NGOs, private sector, media and political parties.

“The state and non-state institutions are in the National Integrity System. We will decide representatives from different institutions later through discussions,” says a source.

The sources add there will be a provision that the head of the participating agencies of NIS will be members of NIAC.

“It will be an opportunity to bring all the heads of the important bodies to the same forum. Now they don’t have any scope to sit to decide anything together,” a source adds.

If this plan is implemented, NIAC led by the prime minister or the chief adviser will be formed comprising the Speaker, cabinet ministers, an elected representative from local government, attorney general, ACC and PSC chairmen, chief election commissioner, Ombudsman, Comptroller and Auditor General, and representatives from NGO, business sector, media, civil society and political parties and families.

No selection process has been chalked out yet to select a representative from family for NIAC, says a source.

A draft national framework of NIS suggests that the government consider the life-span of NIS, which could be four to 10 years, or can be extended by laws.

The sources go on to say the government already has mechanisms in the ministries and their field offices to handle grievances.

The mechanisms have been set up as part of the Good Governance Programme, which will be strengthened further when NIS comes into effect, the sources say, adding promulgation of the Right to Information Ordinance is also a part of the project which will be a key issue for implementing NIS.

Consumer rights protection ordinance approved

http://www.newagebd.com/2008/aug/21/front.html#1

Consumer rights protection ordinance approved
Nazrul Islam

The military-controlled government has approved the Consumer Rights Protection Ordinance 2008 with provisions of imprisonment and financial penalty in cases of consumer rights violation, official sources said.

The approval was given at a meeting of the council of advisers presided over by the chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, on Wednesday, said Syed Fahim Munaim, press secretary to the chief adviser, after the meeting in the Chief Adviser’s Office.

The proposed law, after coming into force a through presidential proclamation, will allow consumers to take legal steps individually against people involved in malpractice such as adulteration, cheating, price manipulation and violation of related laws.

According to the ordinance, the government will set up a consumer rights protection directorate in Dhaka and set up consumer rights protection tribunals in districts and upazilas to check against unfair practice related to consumer goods.

The rights activists who had launched vigorous campaign in early 1990s for regulatory mechanism over businesses to guarantee consumer rights welcomed the move, hoping the government would enforce the law accordingly.

‘We want to see effective enforcement of the law. It must be enforced for the welfare of the common people,’ rights activist Sultana Kamal, also a former adviser to the caretaker government, told New Age.

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh welcomed the government saying it must act sincerely in implementing the proposed law. The association will hold programmes to create awareness among the people of the implementation of the law.

The proposed law says there will be consumer rights protection committees, to be headed by deputy commissioners in districts. There will be similar committees in upazilas and unions.

It stipulates a maximum of three years’ imprisonment and financial penalty of Tk 2,00,000 in cases of its violation. It has been widely alleged the consumers in Bangladesh have been deceived by businessmen over the years in the absence of a legal shield.

Against the backdrop of the demand for a consumer rights protection law, the government in 1994 first pledged to start drafting a law, but the process had remained stalled for years.

The first draft of the proposed law was moved to the cabinet in November 2001. The cabinet, at the time, in principle approved the draft and formed a six-member secretary committee to examine it.

The draft was, at the recommendation of the committee, again sent to the cabinet in 2004 and was sent back to the ministry for further scrutiny.

On January 20, 2006, it was sent again to the government’s highest policy-making body with proposals for a few amendments and ‘further scrutiny’ by the commerce ministry was sought.

The interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed took the matter into consideration. Fakhruddin’s cabinet in principle approved a draft ordinance on consumer rights protection in November 2007, asking the law ministry to plug the loopholes, if any, before the final approval.

The draft ordinance, which received the final approval at Wednesday’s meeting, has eight chapters and 87 clauses on various aspects of consumer rights protection. It also proposes formation of a 21-member council with representatives of business community, civil society, Consumers Association of Bangladesh and officials of the ministries concerned to advise the government from time to time. The council will oversee market prices of essential commodities and monitor application of the law through legal channels of the government.

The council will also launch market research, if required, in line with the proposed law.

Wednesday’s meeting, attended among others by the advisers to the government, special assistants to the chief adviser and the secretaries concerned, also approved a proposal to increase the outfit allowance to Tk 5,000 from the existing Tk 3,500 for the members of the judicial services.

It also approved the draft of a memorandum of understanding between Bangladesh and Libya on manpower export. The deal is expected to be signed on September 4 when the Libyan manpower minister is scheduled to visit Bangladesh. The meeting also approved the Administrative Tribunal (Amendment) Ordinance 2008.

Govt to enact law on consumer protection

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/05/25/news0614.htm

Govt to enact law on consumer protection

The caretaker government has completed all necessary work for enactment of the Consumer Protection Ordinance-2008 by next month to protect the rights of consumers. A high official at the commerce ministry on Friday said: “We will hold a high-level inter-ministerial meeting Monday prior to dispatching the draft of the ordinance to the advisory council for approval.” Earlier, Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said that the government set June as its latest timeframe for the passage of the proposed ordinance. The government stepped up its efforts to formulate the consumer protection laws amid soaring commodity prices, caused by a global spike and hoarding by some big traders in the country. Officials at the commerce ministry said the proposed law would provide the government the necessary weapons to control “any abnormal price hike” in the market. Under the proposed law, there are provisions for at least 20 types of crimes ranging from hoarding to flouting of packaging rules to over-pricing a product than its maximum retail price.

A guilty person can be penalized a maximum three years in jail and Tk 2 lakh in fines under the law.

According to the law, a consumer can file a case with an arbitration court against any hoarder, adulterer or retailer who is doing something wrong.

Local Government Bodies Law drafted for access to information

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=36602

Local Government Bodies Law drafted for access to information
Shakhawat Liton

The caretaker government has moved to ensure that people get information about functioning of local government bodies as part of efforts to establish accountability and transparency in their activities.

The LGRD ministry has drafted laws on different local government bodies incorporating provisions for people’s access to information, and punishment for refusal to give information, sources said.

The council of advisers to the caretaker government has already finalised two draft ordinances on city corporations and municipalities which contain provisions allowing citizens to have information on them.

In the proposed ordinances on zila, upazila and union parishads, the LGRD ministry has incorporated a similar chapter titled ‘right to information’, detailing the procedure to get information, sources in the ministry said.

The proposed ordinances say any citizen of Bangladesh has the right to get information on any local government units through a prescribed procedure.

But the citizens will not have access to any information contained in notified records or documents, and the authorities can refuse to accept any applications seeking such information.

In such cases, the government through gazette notifications can classify these records and documents as notified ones in the interests of all concerned.

“A local government unit can ignore any demands for getting information contained in notified records or documents,” one source said quoting the relevant provisions.

According to the proposed laws, the government can direct any local government institution to prepare a list of information to be made available to people.

The draft ordinances say, “Officials concerned in city corporations will be bound to give information within the specified time, excepting that contained in classified records or documents.”

If a citizen’s application for information is not accepted, he or she will be informed of the reasons in writing.

If any officials concerned fail to give information within the specified timeline, they will be fined Tk 50 per day for delay. If an official refuses to give information or willingly gives false information, he or she will be fined at least Tk 1,000, and the money will be deposited as funds for the local government unit concerned.

Government policymakers believe that once people’s right to such information is ensured, it would also pave the way for their involvement in the functioning of local government units.

Meanwhile, civil society and professional bodies and non-government organisations have been demanding such laws to effectively combat corruption at various levels. But successive governments ignored this.

Against this backdrop, a high-powered committee on strengthening local governments, headed by Health Adviser Dr AMM Shawkat Ali, in its report to Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in November last year proposed allowing citizens to have information on local government bodies.

Government to set up local government commission soon: Anwarul

http://www.bssnews.net/index.php?genID=BSS-06-2008-05-11&id=255

Government to set up local government commission soon: Anwarul

DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 11 (BSS) – The Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Md Anwarul Iqbal today said, the government would soon set up a local government commission in pursuance of the popular demand of the wide range stakeholders including local government representatives, academia and the development partners.

Referring to various measures undertaken by the present caretaker government for reforming the local government system, he said, the strong local governance that ensures protection of rights of the people at the grass root levels has been missing in the system.

The Adviser was addressing as the chief guest to inaugurate a two-day national workshop on “Local Justice System,” at the LGED auditorium here.

The Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and the World Bank jointly organized the workshop with BLAST Chairman Dr Kamal Hossain in the chair.

World Bank Country Director Xian Zhu and Executive Director of BLAST Taslimur Rahman addressed the function.

The Adviser said, with the implementation of the decisions on reforms of the local government system, a new rural Bangladesh will emerge as an entity that would truly be empowered to solve the local problems and to cater the services of the people.

“Under the system, the grass root people would enjoy decision making authority in local matters,” he said adding that to this end, the preparations are underway for the election of the local bodies.

Dr Kamal Hossain underlined the need for establishing social justice through strengthening the local government system.

One stop service to set up in BSTI regional offices

http://www.bssnews.net/index.php?genID=BSS-10-2008-05-06&id=255

One stop service to set up in BSTI regional offices

DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 6 (BSS)- Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) would set up one stop services center in its regional offices like the headquarters aiming better control the quality of commodities, preservation and its development.

This was disclosed at a meeting held between Special Assistant in charge of Industries Ministry to the Chief Adviser and BSTI high officials at Standard Bhaban here today.

The meeting took decision for strengthening BSTI and making it more service oriented by taking a number of steps after reviewing the institute’s overall activities.

The meeting informed that BSTI has already formulated citizen charter to ensure consumer services in the shortest possible time. Following the charter, at present, BSTI collecting sample of commodities and giving standard certificate after examination.

In the current fiscal till March, BSTI income stood at Taka 12.35 crore from different sectors and spent Taka 10.95 crore.

BSTI revenue income sectors are control standard of commodities, scrutiny weight testing equipment and collection fee distributing certificates to different organizations.

According to a mega plan, the government initially would spend Taka 500 crore to set up BSTI offices across the country to ensure adulteration free food and stop cheating in weight.

At present, the country has six BSTI offices in six divisions having the total number of field officers only 30.

Mahbub Jamil said, rapid industrialization is a must through joint cooperation of private and government partnership Especially to make the poverty alleviation programme successful.

The special assistant asked officials and employees to put sincere efforts in developing private sectors.

Earlier, Mahbub Jamil witnesses the one-stop services activities set up at Standard Bhaban recently.

Industry Secretary Dr M Nurul Amin, BSTI Director General M Azmal Hossain and high officials of the organization were present.

BSTI licence renewal soars amid drive against malpractice

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=34934

BSTI licence renewal soars amid drive against malpractice
87,02,026 products, services get licences renewed in 7 months against only 2,026 last fiscal
Jasim Uddin Khan

The number products and services licence renewal from standards authorities soared in seven months of the current fiscal year with the government agencies launching drives against business irregularities and food adulteration.

A total of 87,02,026 products and services got their licences renewed from Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) until January of 2007-08 against only 2,026 last fiscal year.

All products and services are required to renew their licences from the BSTI, the state agency that works under the Ministry of Industries.

Rafiqul Islam, an inspector of BSTI, said the unusual rise in licence renewal is the result of mobile courts that have been in operations for the last one year.

“Previously a few teams used to check BSTI certification. But now many mobile teams are in operations, forcing businesses to became more BSTI complaint,” Rafiqul added.

A total of 511,645 surveillance or mobile teams operated during the first seven months of the current fiscal against only 645 teams in the previous fiscal.

BSTI also refused record 378,973 applications that sought new licence this fiscal until January. In the previous fiscal, only 973 licences were refused.

Moreover, vigilance teams filed a total of 124,11,426 cases during the period against only 1426 cases during the previous fiscal.

Industries ministry sources said the government is going to expand the BSTI capacity to match with the growing volume of activities.

“It is now going to be impossible to perform the duties with existing capacity as work volume has increased tremendously,” another official said.

The government is working to strengthen offices outside Dhaka for meaningful decentralization so that the regional offices can function effectively, he added

The BSTI officials also feel some laws need to be amended to protect consumers’ rights.

“Some businessmen are still trying to cheat consumers to escape the existing laws when it comes to maintaining quality and standards of products,” said a consumer rights expert.