DNCRP fines over 9,500 businesses for consumer rights violations

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, September 23, 2026

The Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection has fined over 9,500 businesses in the past 20 months for violations such as selling expired products, improper pricing, and inadequate packaging. Officials emphasized the need to update consumer protection laws to address rising online fraud, highlighting ongoing efforts to safeguard consumers in Bangladesh’s evolving market.

The Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection (DNCRP) has imposed fines on more than 9,500 businesses over the past 20 months for violations related to consumer rights, according to officials. The agency’s enforcement actions have targeted a range of infractions, including failure to deliver promised goods or services, improper pricing practices, and the sale of expired products.

Tahmina Begum, assistant director at DNCRP, provided a detailed breakdown of common violations during this period. Over 8,500 establishments were fined for not displaying price lists, while more than 8,400 were penalized for selling expired goods and medicines. Additionally, authorities took action against over 8,300 businesses for using illegal manufacturing processes, and over 7,200 establishments for inadequate packaging. Other frequent breaches included selling goods above fixed prices (more than 3,100 cases) and mixing banned substances into food products (over 1,800 cases).

Fiscal year data from the DNCRP reflect sustained market oversight efforts. In 2023-24, the agency conducted 11,148 market drives, resulting in fines against 24,223 establishments totaling approximately Tk 19.80 crore. The following year, 26,297 businesses were penalized through various inspections, yielding fines of Tk 18.81 crore. During the 2025-26 period, DNCRP’s expanded operations included 14,279 drives that led to fines amounting to Tk 24.27 crore across 27,243 establishments. Preliminary figures for the current fiscal year 2026-27 show 4,092 market drives with actions taken against 3,629 businesses to date.

Md Jahirul Islam, director general of DNCRP, highlighted a growing concern regarding online fraud targeting consumers. He noted that the existing Consumer Rights Protection Act of 2009 does not yet encompass digital commerce, which has prompted proposals to amend the legislation to better address the evolving marketplace.

These enforcement statistics illustrate ongoing governmental efforts to uphold consumer rights and ensure accountability among businesses in Bangladesh amid changing trade environments.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.