Opposition to registration
15. (1) When an application for registration of a trade mark has been accepted, whether absolutely or subject to conditions or limitations, the Registrar shall, as soon as may be after acceptance, cause the application as accepted, together with the conditions and limitations, if any, subject to which it has been accepted, to be advertised in the prescribed manner:
Provided that the Registrar may cause an application to be advertised before acceptance if it relates to a trade mark to which clause (e) of sub section (1) of section 6 applies, or in any other case where it appears to him that it is expedient by reason of any exceptional circumstances so to do, and where an application has been so advertised the Registrar may, if he thinks fit, advertise it again when it has been accepted, but shall not be bound so to do.
(2) Any person may, within the prescribed time from the date of the advertisement of an application, give notice in writing in the prescribed manner to the Registrar of opposition to the registration.
(3) The Registrar shall serve in the prescribed manner a copy of the notice on the applicant, and within the prescribed time the applicant shall send to the Registrar, in the prescribed manner, a counter statement of the grounds on which he relies for his application, and, if he does not do so, he shall be deemed to have abandoned his application.
(4) If the applicant sends such counter statement, the Registrar shall serve in the prescribed manner a copy thereof on the persons giving notice of opposition, and shall, after hearing the parties, if so required, and considering the evidence, decide whether, and subject to what conditions or limitations, if any, registration is to be permitted.
(5) If a person giving notice of opposition or an applicant sending a counter statement after receipt of a copy of such notice, or an appellant against an order of the Registrar under section 14 or this section, neither resides nor carries on business in Bangladesh, the tribunal may require him to give security for costs of the proceedings before it, and in default of such security being duly given may treat the opposition or application or appeal, as the case may be, as abandoned.