Speakers at a seminar in the capital on Friday called for ensuring policy support and access to finance for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) before they enter the e-commerce market.
Net-neutrality, high-speed net, electronic transaction methods, lack of online payment facilities, parcel delivery logistics, and assuring quality of products are the key challenges for the e-commerce market in Bangladesh, they opined.
Entry of large foreign service providers poses risk to the local start-ups, and risk capital finance is needed for them to ensure optimum profit, the discussants also said at a seminar styled 'E-Commerce Market: Facilitating Small Start-ups to Grow'.
Ministry of Industries (MoI) Secretary Muhammad Abdullah was the chief guest of the function, jointly organised by SME Foundation and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
Managing Director of SME Foundation Shafiqul Islam chaired the event, while FBCCI Director Priti Chakraborty was present as the special guest.
Professor Dr M Rokonuzzaman of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of North South University presented the keynote paper.
Muhammad Abdullah said MoI will extend all kinds of support and cooperation to the local SMEs for ensuring their active engagement in the e-commerce market.
The ministry will start working on an e-commerce project for the SMEs soon, he added.
Shafiqul Islam said if the SMEs do not get involved in e-commerce properly, the sector will not be able to thrive.
The SMEs can also play a vital role in developing the e-commerce market in the country, he noted.
Priti Chakraborty said, "The SMEs have to face difficulties, as the idea of e-commerce is new to them."
"Providing guidelines is a must for the SMEs in this regard. Besides, we have to give policy support to them, and ensure their access to finance to boost up e-commerce in the country," she opined.
Nearly 50,000 to 100,000 people are now directly or indirectly involved with e-commerce sector in the country. The growth has been impressive since 2009 when not more than 100 parcels were delivered a day by 10-20 outlets, according to the keynote paper.
sajibur@gmail.com