The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) on Sunday formed a human chain in protest against obstruction to the market monitoring activities of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and demanded exemplary punishment for those involved.

The programme was held in front of the Jatiya Press Club. Speaking at the event, CAB General Secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said the Directorate’s Director General has been playing a responsible role in safeguarding consumer rights across the country. However, he alleged that Mohammad Ali Bhuiyan, president of the Moulvibazar Traders’ Association in Chawkbazar unlawfully obstructed a government drive.

He said public resentment is growing as no effective action has yet been taken against those responsible. “We will draw the government’s attention through protest programmes in districts and cities across the country. After the human chain, a memorandum will be submitted to the minister to the Ministry of Commerce.”

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh Ruhin Hossain Prince urged the newly elected government to take effective measures to curb business syndicates and mob intimidation in markets. “Otherwise, controlling the market will become difficult for the new government.”

CAB Dhaka Divisional Committee President Brig Gen (retd) Shams E Khan said all 180 million people in the country are consumers, including traders, and called for visible government initiatives to stabilise the market.

From the programme, CAB placed a five-point demand, including swift and exemplary action against those involved in obstructing the Directorate’s monitoring activities and threatening to shut down markets.

The demands also include ensuring active support from the administration and law enforcement agencies to facilitate smooth market inspections; full and effective enforcement of the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009 with a zero-tolerance policy against unreasonable price hikes and artificial crises; mandatory preservation and display of valid cash memos in transactions and strengthening regular market monitoring and mobile court operations to prevent recurrence of such incidents.