Govt Eyes National Taskforce for Ecommerce

The government has eyed a national task force for e-commerce to develop a digital ecosystem for small and medium entrepreneurs in rural areas, a top policymaker said.

Addressing a webinar on Tuesday, Prime Minister’s Advisor Salman F Rahman mentioned that the intermigration of global payment solutions like PayPal is important for Bangladeshi platforms to flourish cross-border eCommerce. 

“Paypal authorities have promised government to bring the service next year. However, we want to the early entry of the global system within this year,” he said.

Kaler Kantho and Daraz Bangladesh jointly organized the virtual discussion meeting on Development of Digital Ecosystem: Contribution of E-commerce.

Member of Parliament Salman F Rahman was the chief guest while Kaler Kantho Editor Imdadul Haq Milan made the address of welcome on the occasion.

Salman F Rahman said the government is working to improving the indicators of ease of doing business as 90 percent of services are now delivered online.

“There are many challenges in the lower level of the organogram. Digitalization helps to reduce corruption. We are working to address all the challenges in eCommerce including logistic and payment systems,” he added.

Kaler Kantho Editor Imdadul Haq Milan said the e-commerce companies have to concentrate on expanding the network to rural areas as most of the services are yet to confine to urban communities.

BASIS President Syed Almas Kabir recommended leveraging the existing infrastructure of government like post offices to expand the e-commerce services to the last mile populations.

E-Cab President Shomi Kaiser said the Bangladeshi e-commerce companies have transacted around Tk 160 billion in 2020 and 35 e-commerce-focused logistic firms reached the products to the rural areas.

A2i head of e-commerce Rezwanul Haque Jami said the government has provided the platform for e-commerce companies through the EkShop initiative using the network of union digital centres.

MFS operator BKash CEO Kamal Quadir told the meeting that Bangladesh Bank has approved a benchmark decision to allow MFS operator to open personal retail accounts which will help the micro-entrepreneurs on Facebook or other platforms.

Daraz Bangladesh Managing Director Syed Mostahidal Hoq said the company has invested to develop the infrastructure at 64 districts to offer hassle-free services through a direct and assisted e-commerce model.

Among others, Grameenphone chief digital and strategy office Solaiman Alam, SSB leather Managing Director Aryan Ahmed, Rivana Organic founder Wahiduzzaman Sadi and Plannett Tissue founder Rahad Hossain spoke in the meeting conducted by Kaler Kantho Business Editor Masud Rupee