Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Competition Commission has been established under the 2012 Act but is still building full operational capacity.

Horizontal agreements that prevent, restrict, or distort competition are prohibited, including price-fixing, market allocation, and bid-rigging.

Vertical agreements that cause or are likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition are prohibited.

Abuse of dominant position is prohibited, covering exploitative and exclusionary conduct by undertakings with significant market power.

The Act contains provisions on combinations (mergers and acquisitions) but the notification thresholds and review procedures are still being developed.

No formal leniency programme has been established under the current framework.

No formal settlement or commitment mechanism has been established.

The Act provides for fines and penalties for competition law violations. Imprisonment may apply for non-compliance with Commission orders.

No specific digital markets regulation. General competition rules would apply to digital businesses.

BTRC (telecommunications) and the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission exercise sector-specific regulatory functions.

The Commission has investigation powers under the Act, but practical enforcement experience is limited.

Affected parties may approach the courts for remedies. Private competition enforcement is virtually non-existent in practice.

Bangladesh participates in UNCTAD and regional competition cooperation activities. Institutional capacity building with international assistance is ongoing.

The Commission is in its capacity-building phase. Focus on institutional development, awareness-raising, and developing enforcement guidelines.