European Journal of Business and Management www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1905 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2839 (Online) Vol.8, No.17, 2016 157 Consumers Rights and Unprecedented Mechanism of Violation and Protection: Bangladesh Perspective Shafiqul Alam * and Md. Mahbubul Haq Lecturer, Noakhali Science and Technology University, PO Box No-3814, Sonapur, Noakhali, Bangladesh. Abstract This study mainly focused on investigating the root causes of rampantly violating consumer rights in Bangladesh and its impact on the people both physically and mentally. It also concentrated on creating awareness among the general people about consumer rights to protect themselves from heinous activities of unscrupulous businessmen. The study found that taking advantage of illiteracy and unawareness as well as loophole of existing laws the unscrupulous businessmen are making windfall profit without caring for consumer rights. The study also revealed that political influence, poorly structured and organized government organizations, bureaucracy and weak enforcement of existing laws, lower control of government on market, absence of world standard laboratory for testing, misleading information, syndicate business and absence of national recognition or award are aggravating the present situation. The study have concluded that ensuring the application of related laws and regulation, setting up a separate court, easing redressal mechanism, strengthening the consumer right associations and building tripartite cooperation among businessmen, government and consumers are badly needed to overcome such heinous activities of violating fundamental rights . Key Word: consumer, consumer rights, violations. 1. Introduction Bangladesh is one of the densely populated countries having 159,078,000 people which are 2.19% population of the world with very small land area (Anon, 2016). The country has achieved independence in 1971 and during last 45 years our country has become successful in many cases including agriculture, education, infrastructure, defence, economy and industry etc. Recently notable achievement is that the country has become low-middle- income country from low-income country. But it is a great regret for us that having 160 million consumer in our country still now we are too much behind to establish consumer rights. One of the main important causes is the unawareness of the consumer about their rights. Many people still now merely hear this word. Many businessmen are too much dishonest and greedy to become richer within a shortest possible time by unethical way. The punishment system for the violation of consumer rights is not appreciable and also in some cases responsible for the violation. Although there is lot of organization working for human rights, green environment, social welfare, demanding safe road etc. in Bangladesh but a few organizations are working for consumer rights among them Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) is known to us. But consumer rights are integral parts of human rights. Our constitution also gives importance on rights of the people. In article 15 of the Constitution of Bangladesh requires state to ensure people’s access to basic necessities including food, clothing, shelter, and medical care as one of the fundamental principle of state policy (Constitution of Bangladesh, 1972). Article 18 states that the state is obligated to regard the raising of the level of nutrition and improvement of public health as among its primary duties (Constitution of Bangladesh, 1972). There is proverb in business “Customers are the king”. But in our country consumers are deprived of their rights in every sphere. Sometimes the scenario is like that businessmen are king and customers are helpless. Right now there are some laws to establish consumer rights in our country but the violation of consumer rights is more common than laws and regulation. Although food adulteration is a buzzword in case of violation of consumer rights, but in Bangladesh the consumer rights are violated silently by many other newly invented ways. The consumer rights are violated not only in goods but in services also. In Bangladesh, the government’s honest intervention with the help of different NGOs, consumer