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Business Insider Bangladesh

Govt moves to formulate e-commerce law

4 ministries convene meeting on Sept 23

Asif Showkat Kallol || BusinessInsider

Published: 04:27, 21 September 2021   Update: 03:21, 22 September 2021
Govt moves to formulate e-commerce law

Photo: Representational

The government is likely to enact an e-commerce act within a short time to safeguard consumers and obstruct operations of racket e-commerce juggernauts like Eorange and Evaly, an official of the Ministry of Commerce said.

The ministries---Home affairs, Commerce, Law and Information--- will convene a meeting on September 22 (Wednesday) for aiding the Ministry of Commerce to formulate a law about administering e-commerce platforms and prevent any scheming.  

The contemplation came in the backdrop of deceiving clients by several Ponzi e-commerce schemers in the country, recently. Commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said, “We have formulated an e-commerce act to curb fraudulences by the e-commerce platforms though it is not enough to reimburse the clients.”

He said such a law could avoid pathetic situations as were created by Evaly and e-Orange and may help authorities refund the money to the victims.

“The government administrators will be appointed for the e-commerce platforms for liquidating company assets,” the secretary told the Business Insider Bangladesh on Monday.

As per the Companies Act, the government cannot appoint an administrator to any company without the court’s permission. However, “We will look into the matter if or not it is possible for the government to employ an administrator in an exceptional circumstances like Evaly’s case,” Tapan said.

The Secretary said “It is not true that law does not stop all fraud in the e-commerce platform, cultural and economic reasons are to avoid fake e-commerce business sites”.

While dwelling on the existing e-commerce platforms, Tapan said the government already stopped abnormal offers made by any digital e-commerce site through designating standard operating procedure (SOP) which is now being implemented by Bangladesh Bank under e-commerce policy.

“Our inter-ministerial committee will sit again after the Bangladesh Bank sends the investigation reports on 9 e-commerce sites,” he said.

Meanwhile, the commerce ministry on Monday once again requested the Home Affairs Ministry to take legal actions against e-commerce platform Evaly for breaching of laws and deceiving customers.

Evaly violated many provisions of the Penal Code 1860, Digital Security Act and Consumer Rights Protection Act officials said.

A memo was issued to the home ministry based on recommendations of the inter-ministerial committee on e-commerce.

The controversial digital marketplace itself estimated Tk 311 crore dues to its customers and Tk 206 crore to the merchants.

Evaly CEO Mohammad Rassel, now in police custody, earlier informed the commerce ministry that he would refund money to the customers in five months if he could draw some investments. He, however, did not say anything about paying off the merchants.

The Bangladesh Bank has requested the commerce ministry to appoint firms to conduct financial audits into 10 errant e-commerce companies. If the law permits, the commerce ministry will audit 10 companies, including Evaly.

 

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