The government on Thursday published the gazette notification of the Multi-Level Marketing Activities (Control) Ordinance 2013 which has provisions for meting out harsher punishments. The law has a provision of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Tk 50 lakh as the maximum punishment for running such business without any licence. It also has the provision of maximum two years of imprisonment and a fine of Tk 5 lakh for transferring any licence, totally or partially, without permission, and the punishment of five years imprisonment and a fine of Tk 5 lakh for marketing substandard goods. Besides, there are provisions of punishment for violation packaging rules, and for charging illogical prices. The law, which has been in effect since the President gave his consent to it on September 2, also keeps the provision that the government through gazette notification in the future can prohibit the use of certain goods and services in Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) businesses. Persons already running MLM activities will require to apply to the government for the liscence within 90 days of the Ordinance. Under the purview of the law, the government will also enjoy the power to appoint administrators for an MLM company if it is found guilty of fraud, harassment, or of ill-motives. –UNB
