Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said the government wants the e-commerce sector would to run in a more disciplined way shrugging off recent anomalies by some companies.
“The e-commerce sector gained a fast expansion in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic beyond our expectations. Although some e-commerce companies have tempted common people in a big way, the consumers should have remained more cautious,” he said.
Tipu also said, “We don’t want to keep aside our responsibilities. Rather we want that this e-commerce sector operates in a more disciplined way,”
The commerce minister said this while addressing a workshop as the Chief Guest titled ‘Role of the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) towards creating fair competition environment in the market through the implementation of the Competition Law’ held at the office of the Bangladesh Competition Commission in the Capital’s Eskaton area.
Presided over by the Chairperson of Bangladesh Competition Commission Md Mofizul Islam, its member Dr AFM Monjur Kadir gave the address of welcome while Commission member GM Saleh Uddin made a power-point presentation on the overall aspects of the Commission.
Commission member Nasrin Begum, ERF President Sharmeen Rinvy and General Secretary SM Rashidul Islam also spoke while Commission adviser Barrister Mafruha Murphy gave a power-point presentation.
Speaking on the occasion, Tipu Munshi said although the commission is still nascent, it is moving ahead with a specific goal.
“It also needs more association with the concerned stakeholders to turn itself as a more proactive entity”, he added.
Tipu Munshi said, some companies cheated with people to gain excessive profit.
“The media would have to play its due role in creating awareness among people so that the common people are not victims of these companies”, he added.
Turning to the recent incidents of being cheated by some e-commerce firms like Evaly, e-Orange, the minister said Evaly offered people of selling motorbikes of Tk 250,000 at a surprisingly lower price of Tk 150,000, which was quite impossible.
He said such companies’ tempted people by giving exciting offers in such a way that it was tough to resist the people from being cheated.
Mr Munshi also noted that the promising e-commerce sector could not go backwards for the fault of some 10 to 15 companies.
He also sought the cooperation of all stakeholders for enforcing the concerned policy in this regard adding that the Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank, and other concerned stakeholders would have to come forward to frame the necessary guidelines for this sector.
