Dhaka, Mar 15 (V7N) — Barrister Rumin Farhana, a Member of Parliament from Brahmanbaria-2 and a former senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), expressed frustration after what she described as an unpleasant shopping experience at an Aarong outlet in Dhaka’s Uttara area on Saturday night.

Barrister Rumin Farhana said she faced an uncomfortable situation while purchasing clothing for her mother at an outlet of Aarong located on Jasimuddin Road in the Uttara area of Dhaka.

According to Farhana, the incident occurred on the evening of March 14 after iftar when she visited the showroom to buy several items. She purchased four maxi dresses for her mother and was presented with a bill of approximately 4,500 Bangladeshi taka at the checkout counter.

However, she said the items were handed to her without a shopping bag. When she asked about a bag, she was informed that she would need to pay an additional 40 taka to receive one.

Farhana said she questioned why customers should be required to pay extra for a basic shopping bag after purchasing items from the store. Expressing dissatisfaction with the policy, she left the showroom carrying the clothes in her arms.

A photograph taken during the incident later circulated widely on social media, showing the lawmaker leaving the store with several pieces of clothing in her hands, sparking discussion and criticism online.

The situation gained further attention after her personal assistant, Zakir Hossain Shuvo, posted about the experience on Facebook. The post quickly went viral on social media platforms.

In the post, Shuvo wrote that similar experiences had occurred during previous visits to the store but described the latest incident as particularly surprising. He argued that even basic courtesy toward customers, especially an elected representative, should have been maintained.

He also questioned the policy of charging for shopping bags, saying that if environmental protection measures require the elimination of free bags, retailers should provide practical alternatives for customers.

“A brand that stands on people’s trust and affection has a responsibility to respect its customers,” the post said, adding that ensuring minimum respect for consumers should be the duty of every company.

Speaking about the incident, Farhana said she had gone to the Aarong outlet specifically to buy clothing for her mother, as the size and design of maxi dresses sold by the brand matched her mother’s requirements better than those found in other stores.

“I went there only for my mother. Otherwise, I would never go to Aarong. I have never bought clothes from Aarong for myself,” she said.

Farhana reiterated that she objected to the additional charge for a shopping bag, describing the situation as unusual and unnecessary after paying for the products.

Attempts to contact the Uttara Jasimuddin Road Aarong showroom for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to the store’s landline number went unanswered.

The incident has since generated widespread discussion online, with many social media users debating retail policies regarding paid shopping bags and customer service standards in Bangladesh’s leading lifestyle brands.

END/AJ/SMA/