Consumer Protection Law in Bangladesh (2025): A TRW Law Firm Field Guide

Prepared by TRW — Tahmidur Rahman Remura. Use this as a practical, Bangladesh-specific playbook to design compliant sales, advertising, e-commerce, and after-sales operations—and to resolve complaints fast.

Executive snapshot

Bangladesh doesn’t have a one-stop “Consumer Protection Code.” Instead, consumer protection is anchored in the Consumers’ Rights Protection Act, 2009 (CRPA), administered day-to-day by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP). For online commerce, the Digital Commerce Operational Guidelines (2021) and policy scaffolding around them add marketplace duties—pricing transparency, delivery/refund discipline, and data/documentation expectations. Together, these rules shape what you can sell, how you must describe it, how you take payment, and how you fix things when they go wrong. (Bangladesh Laws, dncrp.portal.gov.bd, brcp-1.gov.bd)

What the law protects (in plain English)

Under the CRPA, consumers are protected against:

• Adulterated or unsafe goods/services — anything harmful to health or grossly below promised standards.
• Deception and misrepresentation — false claims about quality, quantity, composition, grade, model year, origin, or benefits.
• Short weight/measure — dispensing less than charged for; tampered scales and meters.
• Expired or relabeled products — selling past-expiry items, or relabeling to disguise age or origin.
• Price manipulation and hoarding — practices that create artificial scarcity or overcharge beyond declared prices.
• Unfair terms and unfair trade practices — bait-and-switch, fake “discounts,” undisclosed charges, or refusal to issue a receipt.

The statute mixes criminal (fine and, for certain acts, imprisonment) and administrative enforcement with compensation features—so violations can hurt on multiple fronts. (Bangladesh Laws)

Who enforces—and where do you complain?

DNCRP is the national enforcement body with regional offices and a 24/7 hotline (16121). Consumers (and, in certain cases, buyers “likely to be consumers”) can file complaints online, by email, by phone, or in person. DNCRP screens complaints, conducts inspections/raids, mediates where appropriate, and can impose fines; portions of realized fines are paid out to the complainant under the statute. The portal also centralizes regional contacts and complaint channels. (dncrp.portal.gov.bd)

E-commerce: extra duties when you sell online

Bangladesh’s Digital Commerce Operational Guidelines (2021) supplement the CRPA for online sales and marketplaces. They emphasize:

• Transparent product and pricing information (no hidden charges; taxes, shipping, and total price disclosure).
• Order confirmation, delivery, and refund workflows with clear timelines and customer communication.
• Marketplace responsibilities (record-keeping, dispute handling, registration/identity norms) alongside seller obligations.
• Data and payment hygiene that aligns with banking and commerce instructions.

These Guidelines sit under the Ministry of Commerce’s digital-commerce policy framework and are referenced in government materials; they’re increasingly used by banks, marketplaces, and regulators to benchmark platform behavior. (brcp-1.gov.bd)

Your obligations as a business (checklist you can action)

1) Product integrity

• Source lawfully; keep COAs/test reports, batch/lot traceability, and BSTI certifications where mandatory.
• Track expiry/shelf-life and implement automatic block/recall flags in your ERP/WMS.

2) Advertising & representations

• Substantiate all claims (performance, origin, “organic,” “antibacterial,” energy efficiency).
• Avoid drip pricing: disclose full price up front, including delivery, installation, and statutory charges.

3) Weights & measures

• Calibrate scales & dispensers; keep calibration certificates; train floor staff on measurement SOPs.

4) Invoices & receipts

• Always issue a VAT-compliant invoice (Mushak 6.3 for VAT payers) with SKU, quantity, unit price, VAT, and return policy.

5) After-sales & redress

• Publish returns/warranty rules in simple Bangla and English; state who pays for return shipping, timelines, and diagnostic steps.
• Keep a complaint log (time-stamped) and a playbook for goodwill remedies to defuse disputes before escalation.

6) Data, delivery & refunds (e-commerce)

• Confirm orders, provide realistic delivery windows, and automate refund triggers for out-of-stock or failed delivery.
• Align payment flows with your bank/PSP rules; reconcile promptly to avoid “paid but undelivered” incidents.

7) Training & audits

• Run quarterly training for frontline staff (misrepresentation, receipts, returns).
• Perform mystery-shopper audits across stores/agents to catch compliance drift.

How a consumer complaint typically unfolds

1. Consumer submits a complaint to DNCRP (online, hotline 16121, email, or office). Include invoice/receipt, product photos, correspondence, and your requested remedy.
2. Screening & inquiry: DNCRP may call both sides, inspect premises, or conduct a surprise check.
3. Outcome: Settlement/mediation, administrative penalties, or prosecution where warranted. The law provides for compensation via a share of realized fines to the complainant alongside sanctions on the trader.
4. Follow-through: Traders must implement corrective actions—replacement/refund, relabeling, disposal of stock, retraction of misleading ads, and changes to SOPs. (dncrp.portal.gov.bd, Bangladesh Laws)

Sector hotspots (what trips businesses up)

• Food & FMCG: expired goods, relabeled MRP, undeclared allergens, or unauthorized health claims.
• Electronics: gray imports without warranty, energy-efficiency claims without proof, inflated “strike-through” prices.
• Cosmetics & pharma-adjacent: parallel imports, false “herbal/dermatologist recommended,” missing batch/expiry.
• Services (gyms, education, diagnostics): fee disclosures, refund policies, and service quality representations.
• E-commerce marketplaces: inadequate vetting, slow refunds, failure to delist repeat offenders, and non-transparent seller rankings.

Remedies & penalties at a glance

• Administrative orders to replace, refund, relabel, or withdraw ads.
• Fines (graduated by offense; higher for health/safety risks and repeat violations).
• Confiscation/destruction of harmful or non-compliant goods.
• Criminal liability for serious offenses under enumerated CRPA sections.
• Complainant benefit: where fines are realized, the law earmarks a statutory share for the complainant—an incentive to report violations. (Bangladesh Laws)

E-commerce operations: design for compliance from day one

Product pages

• Show full price (no hidden handling fees later), clear specs, model numbers, brand, seller identity, and warranty terms.
• Prohibit “limited time” claims unless you can prove stock and timeframe.

Ordering & payments

• Auto-send order confirmation with promised delivery window; notify delays proactively.
• Keep reconciliation logs with acquirer/PSP to catch payment mismatches within 24–48 hours.

Delivery & returns

• Provide track-and-trace; publish a return label generator and a simple RMA flow.
• Fast refunds to the original payment method (not just store credit), with refund SLAs in your policy.

Marketplace governance

• Vet sellers (KYC), record maker/brand authorization where relevant, and de-list repeat offenders.
• Maintain an evidence file (invoices, shipping proof, refund logs) to show regulators you acted diligently. (brcp-1.gov.bd)

How to write your Terms & Conditions (TRW clause prompts)

• Representations: Goods are genuine, safe, accurately described, and fit for purpose; services performed with reasonable care and skill.
• Pricing & charges: Total price disclosure; VAT status; delivery/installation fees; no post-checkout surcharges.
• Returns/warranty: Clear windows, exclusions, who pays for return shipping, diagnostic/repair timeline, and escalation steps.
• Complaint handling: Single email/portal; response within X business days; refund/replace rules.
• Advertising standards: No unsubstantiated claims; all testimonials/reviews must be real and appropriately disclosed.
• Marketplace policies: Seller code of conduct, sanctions, and audit rights.
• Language & accessibility: Bangla-first version; simple headings; phone and email contacts displayed prominently.
• Data & security: Minimal collection, secure storage, and breach notifications consistent with sector guidance.

Internal playbooks that prevent complaints

1. Receipt discipline: Every sale (online or offline) generates a receipt/invoice with product code, price, tax, and return terms.
2. Visual controls: Color-coded shelf tags for “near expiry”; POS blocks for expired SKUs.
3. Training sprints: 45-minute refreshers for staff on misrepresentation, weights/measures, and refund etiquette.
4. Escalation map: Tier-1 refunds up to BDT X at store level; Tier-2 replacements; Legal review for safety/recall issues.
5. Vendor contracts: Indemnities for mislabeling and counterfeit risk; audit rights; batch-level traceability; mandatory insurance.
6. Mystery-shop & test buys: Quarterly; correct behavior with coaching, not just penalties.

If a complaint hits you—what to do in the first 72 hours

• Acknowledge receipt to the customer and DNCRP (if contacted); stop any further sale of the implicated SKU or service.
• Secure evidence: batch/lot, purchase order, inbound QC logs, CCTV (if relevant), sales invoice, and staff statements.
• Offer an interim remedy: refund, replacement, or service redo—without prejudice to your legal position.
• Root-cause with your vendor/plant/3PL; implement a corrective action plan (CAP) and record it.
• Communicate your CAP and remedy to DNCRP; cooperate fully with inspections.
• Close-out with documentation; re-train staff and update SOPs to avoid recurrence.

Frequent legal myths (and the reality)

• “Online sales are different; the law doesn’t apply.”
  False. The CRPA applies to goods and services regardless of channel; the digital guidelines add duties, they don’t replace core obligations. (Bangladesh Laws, brcp-1.gov.bd)
• “If the customer opened the package, no returns.”
  You can refuse returns where safety/hygiene is genuinely compromised, but blanket “no returns once opened” rules are risky—especially if the product is not as described, defective, expired, or unsafe.
• “List low online, add fees later.”
  Drip pricing is a classic unfair practice. Disclose the full price at the point of decision.
• “We’re just a marketplace; we’re never responsible.”
  Marketplaces have distinct duties under the 2021 Guidelines and can face scrutiny for poor seller governance. (brcp-1.gov.bd)

For consumers: how to complain effectively

1. Collect proof: receipts, screenshots, chat/email threads, photos/videos, medical notes if safety is involved.
2. Contact the seller first with a short, factual message and a clear ask (refund/replace/repair).
3. If unresolved, file with DNCRP via portal, email, in person, or hotline 16121. Attach your evidence and state your remedy.
4. Follow up politely; be ready to provide additional documents or to attend inspections if asked.
5. Keep timelines: the rules set filing windows; don’t sit on your complaint. (dncrp.portal.gov.bd)

For businesses: governance that regulators like to see

• Named compliance owner (store manager or e-commerce operations lead).
• Quarterly board report on complaints and corrective actions.
• Supplier due-diligence (licenses, quality certs, brand authorization letters).
• Insurance (product liability; recall/withdrawal where risk justifies).
• Public commitment: publish your consumer policy; run periodic awareness campaigns in Bangla.

Disputes & escalation

• DNCRP proceedings can result in penalties and corrective orders; keep counsel looped in early.
• Civil claims for damages may follow in serious injury or property-loss cases.
• Criminal exposure exists for certain egregious acts under CRPA (e.g., hazardous adulteration).
• Arbitration/jurisdiction clauses in T\&Cs cannot oust statutory consumer remedies; draft them narrowly for B2B contexts and carefully for B2C.

TRW’s consumer-law toolkits (what we deliver)

• Policy suite: receipt/returns policy (Bangla & English), online T\&Cs, warranty language, and advertising guidelines.
• E-commerce pack: product page checklist, refund SLAs, marketplace seller code, and platform KYC/monitoring SOPs.
• Incident response: complaint triage playbook, recall/withdrawal procedure, and regulator engagement scripts.
• Audit & training: mystery-shop program, weights/measures audits, and staff workshops.
• Vendor contracts: indemnities, insurance, batch traceability, and counterfeit controls.

If you’d like, we can turn this guide into a one-page compliance map for your brand or marketplace.

References (max 3)

1. Consumers’ Rights Protection Act, 2009 (CRPA) — core statute, offences, penalties, and complainant’s share of realized fines. (Bangladesh Laws)
2. Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) Portal — complaint channels and hotline 16121. (dncrp.portal.gov.bd)
3. Ministry of Commerce — National Digital Commerce Policy/Guidelines materials — references the Digital Commerce Operational Guidelines (2021) and their role in online consumer protection. (brcp-1.gov.bd)

Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal advice. Regulations and enforcement practices evolve; obtain tailored advice for your products, channels, and contracts.