The High Court has issued directives to curb fraud in online businesses and raise consumer awareness. From now on, businesses operating on online platforms in the country must comply with nine specific guidelines. This information comes from a verdict delivered on Monday (March 10) by the High Court bench of Justice Mostafa Zaman Islam and Justice S.M. Masud Hossain Dolon.
The ruling was given while disposing of a rule related to the reopening of the showroom ‘Sanvis by Tony,’ owned by the widely discussed female entrepreneur Robaiyat Fatema Tani. In court, lawyer Md. Khalequzzaman represented Tony while lawyer Lubna Yasmin appeared on behalf of the opposing party.
Here are the instructions:
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Everyone must comply with the prevailing laws of Bangladesh and maintain a proper relationship between online business owners and consumers.
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In case of legal violations in online business operations, the affected party will have the right to equal protection under the law.
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Every citizen has the right to conduct any lawful business, and no business can be shut down without following due legal procedures.
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The Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection should take necessary measures to bring all online business owners/members under registration and grant them approval to operate their online businesses.
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It must be ensured that no one can operate or even start an unauthorized online business on any online platform. It is also essential to prevent clothing retailers from manufacturing counterfeit versions of foreign original products and selling them as genuine through online platforms.
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This legal framework should ensure that all types of online business establishments verify their administrators, owners, and consumers using their personal national identification numbers.
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Government regulatory bodies, such as BTRC, should collaborate with online e-commerce platforms to maintain records of online business entities.
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The concerned authorities are instructed to raise awareness among online consumers to prevent fraud by online businesses. Consumers should avoid purchasing products from online stores, ventures, or suppliers that are not approved or registered.
- The Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection should incorporate necessary provisions of the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009, to prosecute fraudulent online businesses for their offenses.
Read more: Special Law for Recovery of Smuggled Funds
The verdict directs that the business operations of the showroom ‘Sanvis by Tony owned by widely discussed female entrepreneur Robaiyat Fatema Tony, be allowed to continue. Additionally it mandates that her business establishment be inspected at least once a month for proper monitoring in accordance with the law.
Source: Kalbela
