How to File a Consumer Rights Complaint in Bangladesh: Online, Hotline 16121 and What You Get
Overcharged at a shop, sold expired medicine, or never received an online order? The Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 gives you a fast, cheap complaint route, and if the seller is fined you receive a quarter of the fine. The catch is a 30-day deadline. Here is what you can complain about, how to file, and when to go to court instead.
- File within 30 days of the problem
- Hotline 16121, plus written, email and online complaints
- The complainant gets 25% of any fine collected
- Compensation needs a separate civil claim
In this guide: What you can complain about · How to file a complaint, step by step · Online shopping and e-commerce complaints · Getting compensation, not just a fine · Tips that make complaints succeed
The short answer
You can complain to the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) in writing, by email or online within 30 days of the problem, with your receipt and evidence. The Directorate hears both sides and can fine the seller; under section 76(4) of the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 the complainant receives 25 per cent of the fine collected. Many complaints settle at the hearing with a refund or replacement. For full compensation you need a separate civil claim.
What you can complain about
| Problem | Example |
|---|---|
| Price above the fixed or displayed price | Charging more than the MRP or a government-fixed price |
| Adulterated or unsafe goods | Formalin in fish, colour in spices |
| Expired or fake products | Expired medicine or food; counterfeit goods |
| False advertising | Claims the product or service does not meet |
| Short weight or measure | Tampered scales, short-filled packs |
| Not delivering what was paid for | Online orders not delivered, service not provided |
| Missing price list or receipt | Shops not displaying prices or refusing a receipt |
Disputes with banks, telecom operators and insurers usually go first to their regulators, though DNCRP accepts many service complaints.
How to file a complaint, step by step
- Keep evidence: receipt or invoice, order screenshots, photos of the product, payment records, chat messages.
- Write the complaint with your name, address, phone and NID, the seller’s name and address, what happened and when, and what you want (refund, replacement, action).
- File within 30 days by email or the online form on the Directorate’s website, by hand at its Dhaka office or the district office, or start by calling the hotline 16121.
- Attend the hearing. Both sides are called. Bring originals.
- Outcome: a fine, a settlement, or dismissal. If a fine is collected, 25 per cent comes to you.
Section 60 bars complaints filed more than 30 days after the cause arose, so file even while you are still talking to the seller.
Online shopping and e-commerce complaints
- Under the Digital Commerce Operation Guidelines 2021, delivery is due within 5 days in the same city and 10 days elsewhere, and refunds within 10 days of cancellation.
- Pay through methods that keep a record; cash-on-delivery or escrow-style payment protects you best.
- Complain to the seller first in writing, then to DNCRP within 30 days, with order IDs and screenshots.
- For fraud such as fake pages taking advance payment, also file a GD or a complaint with the police.
Getting compensation, not just a fine
DNCRP punishes the seller; it does not award damages. If you lost money or were harmed, for example by a defective product, you can file a civil suit for compensation, usually within three years. A lawyer’s notice to the seller first often produces a settlement. Keep the DNCRP decision; it is useful evidence.
Tips that make complaints succeed
- One complaint, one transaction, clear dates and amounts.
- Attach the receipt. Without proof of purchase most complaints fail.
- Ask for a written acknowledgement or tracking number.
- Do not post defamatory accusations online while the complaint is pending; stick to facts.
Keep proof
Receipt, screenshots, photos.
Write it up
Who, what, when, and what you want.
File in 30 days
Email, online form, office or hotline 16121.
Attend the hearing
Fine or settlement; 25% of the fine to you.
Common questions
How do I file a consumer rights complaint?
In writing, by email or online with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, within 30 days, with your receipt and evidence. You can also start with the hotline 16121.
What is the consumer rights hotline number?
16121.
What is the time limit for a consumer complaint?
30 days from the date the cause arose, under section 60 of the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009.
Does the complainant get part of the fine?
Yes. Under section 76(4) the complainant receives 25 per cent of the fine collected.
Can I complain about an online shop that did not deliver?
Yes. Complain within 30 days with the order ID and screenshots. Delivery is due within 5 days in the same city and 10 days elsewhere under the 2021 guidelines.
Can DNCRP order the seller to pay me compensation?
It fines the seller and often brokers a refund, but full compensation needs a civil suit, usually within three years.
Where is the consumer rights office in Dhaka?
The Directorate's head office is at the TCB Building, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, and there are district offices across the country.
Which law protects consumers in Bangladesh?
The Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, enforced by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.
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