Patents, Design and trade Mark
Name of Service :
Trademark Registration in Bangladesh
►Making an application
►Requirements for the application:
a. Name of the trademark / logo / device prints or representation.
b. Name of the Applicant.
c. Address and nationality of the Applicant.
d. Status of the applicant, i.e. Merchandisers / Manufacturers / Service Providers.
e. Specification of Goods/Services and Class.
f. User date of the mark (whether the mark is in use or proposed to be used in Bangladesh).
g. General/ Specific Power of Attorney. Power of Attorney (POA) may be filed subsequently.
►Examination:
The trademark is thoroughly examined with regard to:
(i) distinctiveness;
(ii) similarity or being identical or nearly resemble with existing trademarks in the Register of Trademarks;
(iii) hurting religious susceptibilities of any class of Bangladesh;
(iv) compliance with the requirements of the Trade Marks Act.
►Procedure for registration of a trademark in Bangladesh
1. Conduct Availability Search (optional).
2. Filing the Application: An application is made in the prescribed manner to the Registrar of Trade Marks.
3. Acknowledgement of the Application: The Registrar, on receipt of the application, issues Official Filing Receipt. The document contains all relevant filing details on the trademark e.g. Application Number, date of application, the trademark, etc.).
4. Examination of the Application: The Registrar examines the trademark for distinctiveness, identical or similarity with existing registered trademarks and general compliance with the requirements of the Law. If the Registrar is satisfied, he issues a Letter of Acceptance for the mark to be advertised in the Trade Marks Journal for opposition purposes. Otherwise, the Registry raised objection seeking written reply regarding objections.
4.1. Refusal of the Application: Where an application is refused, the Applicant through its local agent must submit reply to the show cause notice and may seek a hearing in the matter within three (3) months otherwise, the application will be deemed abandoned.
4.2. Acceptance of the Application: If the Examiner is satisfied as to (4.1) above, the Registrar accepts the mark for advertisement in the Trade Marks Journal.
5. Opposition Proceedings: When a trademark is advertised, any person may within two (2) months from the date of the publication give notice of Opposition to the Registrar on Form TM-5.
The Registrar shall send a copy of the Notice of Opposition to the Applicant and the Applicant shall within two (2) month of receipt of the Notice of Opposition, file a Counter-Statement of the grounds for which it relies for its application to be registered. Failure to file the Counter-Statement within the prescribed period will result in the application being deemed abandoned. The applicant may seek extension of time for filing Counter-Statement along with Govt. fees.
Where a Counter-Statement is filed, the Registrar shall furnish a copy thereof to the Opponent. The parties are required to file evidence by way of Affidavit and the Registrar shall, after hearing the parties, decide on whether the application should be registered or not. The Registrar’s decision shall be subject to appeal to the High Court.
6. Registration: Where no opposition is received at the expiration of the opposition period or the opposition is determined and resolved in favour of the Applicant, the Registrar is obliged to issue a Certificate of Registration for the trademark on payment of the prescribed fee. The registration date of the trademark will be the date of filing.
Term of Registration. A registered trademark is valid for an initial period of seven (7) years from the date of filing and renewable thereafter for successive periods of Ten (10) years.
Renewal: Application for renewal of a trademark may be made to the Registrar in the prescribed manner, not more than six (6) months before the expiration of the last renewal. Renewal is for ten (10) years. A Certificate of Renewal is issued by the Registrar as evidence of payment of the renewal fee due at that period.
Clients are advised that the renewal fee due on a trademark cannot be paid until the mark is registered. Clients are therefore advised that they need not worry about the renewal fee until the mark has been registered.
►Post Registration Matter
Assignment of Trademarks The Registered proprietor of a trademark has power to assign the mark and a registered trademark is assignable and transmissible with or without goodwill of the business in respect of all or some of the goods for which it is registered. Where a person becomes entitled by assignment or transmission to a registered trademark, he shall make application to the Registrar (in the prescribed manner) to register his title and the Registrar shall, on receipt of the application and on proof of title to his satisfaction, register the Assignee as the proprietor of the trademark.
To file application for recordal of assignment in Bangladesh, the following documents are required – (i) Deed of Assignment – The Deed must be executed by the Assignor and the Assignee. A nominal consideration of US $10.00 is sufficient. The document must be Legalized in the country concerned.
(ii) Form TM-24 or Form TM-23(Joint Request) – An application to register the title of a person who becomes entitled by assignment or transmission to a registered trademark shall be made on Form TM-24 or TM-23 accordingly. It is made by such person alone or conjointly with the registered proprietor.
(iii) Authorisation of Agent – The authorization is to be executed by both the Assignor and the Assignee. It may be notarized.
►Licensing of Trademarks (Registered User)
There is provision under the Trademark Law for the registration of a person other than the registered proprietor of a trademark as a Registered User.
In order to file application for Registered User in Bangladesh, the following documents are required–
(i) Registered User/License Agreement.
(ii) TM Form-28.
(iii) Statement of Case by an Affidavit.
(iv) Authorisation of Agent.
►Change of Name/Address of the proprietor:
If there is a change in the name and/or address of the proprietor, such change must be recorded against the trademark. The proprietor may make application in the prescribed manner to alter his/her name and/or address on the Register of Trademarks.
The Registrar, if satisfied with the application, will issue a Proof of record of Change of Name/Address evidencing the recordal of such change in the Register.
To apply for the change of name of the proprietor of a trademark in Bangladesh, a Certified True Copy of the Certificate of Change of Name/Address or any equivalent document (e.g. Extract of Company Register) issued by the appropriate authority in the proprietor’s country of origin attesting to the change of name/address. Where such document is not in the English language, a certified English translation will be required.
►Foreign Priority/Convention Applications:
The Law makes provision for an Applicant to claim priority of a foreign trademark within 6 months from the date of application to the member country of Paris Convention or WTO in Bangladesh.
►Service Marks:
Marks can be registered in Bangladesh. Applicants can now apply for registration of the service marks in Bangladesh in International Classes 35 to 45. The International Nice Classification of Services is applicable for this purpose.