A Supreme Court lawyer has served a legal notice to fashion and lifestyle brand Aarong, asking it to stop charging customers for paper shopping bags.
The notice, sent on Monday by lawyer Nishat Farzana to Aarong’s managing director and the manager of its Moghbazar outlet, asked the company to withdraw the charge within 10 days of receipt. Failing this, she said she would take legal action before the relevant courts and authorities, reports Prothom Alo.
Farzana, identifying herself as a regular customer, confirmed that she sent the notice by registered post. “This issue concerns consumer rights. If no action is taken in response to the notice, I may seek recourse under the Consumer Rights Protection Act,” she told Prothom Alo.
According to the notice, Farzana visited Aarong’s Mogbazar outlet on Wednesday and discovered that no bags were provided with purchases. She was informed that the company had stopped giving free bags in September and was now charging for paper shopping bags.
The notice referred to a leaflet at the billing counter saying, “Your favorite Aarong bag is now more valuable,” which stated that proceeds from the charge would be used for local tree-planting projects.
Farzana argued in the notice that while afforestation initiatives are commendable, they should be funded through corporate social responsibility (CSR) rather than from customers. Charging for low-quality paper bags under the banner of environmental protection amounts to unethical practice, she said.
The notice also said the bags were sized to hold only one item, forcing customers to buy multiple bags if they purchased several items. This, it said, was creating a financial burden for middle-income consumers and had led to dissatisfaction in Aarong outlets and on social media.
It added that Aarong, as a widely trusted brand, should provide durable bags free of cost. The current policy, the notice said, reflects opaque business operations and misleads customers.
