The country's apex trade body has urged the government to take necessary measures, including setting up a special complaint cell, to help regain the consumers' confidence in the e-commerce business.
It also suggested formulating specific policies for the sector so that it can flourish.
The Standing Committee on E-Commerce of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at its first meeting on Thursday put forward the recommendation to help the crisis-hit e-commerce business overcome the situation.
Speaking as chief guest, FBCCI President Md. Jashim Uddin called upon the entrepreneurs to ensure institutional transparency, accountability and compliance to develop e-commerce as a sustainable business sector.
"A complaints management cell will be formed soon under the supervision of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) to regain the consumers' trust," director-in-charge of the committee and president of E-Cab Shomi Kaiser told the meeting at the FBCCI office in the capital.
She said the e-commerce business has flourished during the Covid-19 pandemic and created huge employment opportunities, but its image tarnished due to some isolated cases.
To overcome this crisis, the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) will provide unique identification numbers for the e-commerce companies, she said, expecting that the initiatives would help regain the consumers' trust soon.
She mentioned that the standing committee would draw up a one-year roadmap for the development of the overall e-commerce ecosystem.
Presiding over the meeting, Chairman of the Standing Committee TIM Nurul Kabir pointed out that lack of bank loans, poor penetration of cards, excessive reliance on cash-on delivery and absence of cross-border e-commerce policies are some of the major challenges being faced by the business.
In the open discussion, the committee members criticised that the MoC is yet to make its digital commerce cell fully functional. They also demanded tax exemption for the business until 2030 and include e-commerce in the government procurement system.
FBCCI Director Amzad Hussain, Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, Standing Committee Co-Chairmen Mohammad Abdul Haque, Mohammad Sahab Uddin, Mostafizur Rahman Sohel, Zia Ashraf and M Rashidul Hasan, and others members were present at the meeting.
