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The High Court on Sunday asked the consumers to control their greed to save themselves from the fraudulent business of the e-commerce entities. It also asked the concerned bodies to campaign in the public interest on these issues.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman made the observation during the hearing on a writ petition that sought its directive on the government to take necessary steps to prevent incidents of recording private phone conversations.
The High Court said the lawyers, who move public interest litigations before this court, should make the customers conscious so that they reduce greed and are not cheated by any (fraud) e-commerce organisation.
The bench, which was scheduled to deliver its order on the petition on Sunday, deferred to September 29 for announcing the order.
During the hearing, the HC bench wanted to know from petitioners' lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir about the e-commerce business and organisations.
Shishir Manir told the court that the e-commerce organisations like Evaly and E-orange attract customers by offering them products at minimum cost or free of cost.
Then the consumers fall into the offers and are cheated.
Citing an example, the lawyer said such e-commerce organisations offer that if a customer pays money for a motorcycle he or she will get two motorcycles, if a customer pays money for two motorcycles he or she will get four motorcycles, if a customer pays money for four motorcycles he or she will get eight motorcycles.
The customers pay money through the Bangladesh Bank's gateway to the e-commerce organisation and get one or two motorcycles from the e-commerce organisations, but did not get the products like eight motorcycles when they give the money for four motorcycles and do not get back the money of big amounts, Shishir Manir said.
Meanwhile, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told reporters that the functions of e-commerce organisations need to be brought within the law so that they deposit security money to Bangladesh Bank for their licences.
Provision needs to be incorporated in the law so that if any customer becomes a victim of fraudulence by any e-commerce organisation he or she can get compensation from the security money and can lodge cases for redress, he said.
The attorney general said e-commerce is a popular site in foreign countries, but some dishonest businessmen have taken this business to backwardness in Bangladesh.
During the hearing on the same writ petition, the HC bench on September 14 said all concerned should be sincere about protecting the private communications of citizens.
Ten Supreme Court lawyers on August 10 this year submitted the writ petition as public interest litigation to the HC, seeking its directive on the government to inform what necessary steps have been taken to prevent such incidents of eavesdropping and recording of a private phone conversation and to ensure the right to privacy of telecommunication.
As per its constitutional statute, Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is delegated with the responsibility of ensuring the privacy of telecommunication and upholding the sanctity of Article 43 of the Constitution.
However, the newspaper reports demonstrate the continued failure of the BTRC in carrying out its constitutional duties. Such regular incidents of eavesdropping and recording of private telephone conversations show that BTRC is failing to take any necessary actions or preventive measures or carry out an investigation to prevent such breach of privacy of telecommunication, the petition said.