Dhaka: The fraud of several e-commerce platforms including Evaly, e-Orange has created a crisis of confidence in e-commerce among the customers in Bangladesh. In addition to big companies, hundreds of Facebook-centric e-commerce companies are cheating customers every day.
Analysts say e-commerce in Bangladesh is now on the way to expansion. Such a push right now could create distrust among ordinary consumers. As a result, the government has to take initiative in this regard immediately.
IT expert and telecommunications minister Mustafa Jabbar said, “Now the only way to restore confidence is to punish the culprits quickly. Those who are doing this kind of work have to stop doing it. ‘ AFM Al Kibria, the deputy commissioner of the cyber and special crime unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said the number of complaints in e-commerce has increased many times over.
Police have recently arrested Sonia Mehjabin, owner of e-Orange, and her husband Masukur Rahman. Sheikh Sohel Rana, OC of Banani Police Station, the patron of the organization, was arrested in India while fleeing the country. The company has been accused of embezzling Tk1,100 crore from customers.
Police have also arrested the chief executive officer (CEO) of an e-commerce site called Nirapad.com for allegedly swindling crores of rupees from shoppers. Shahriar Khan opened an e-commerce site and attracted ordinary customers through advertisements.
He snatched money from customers by promising home delivery within 30 days of mobile phones, computers, laptops, refrigerators, ovens, and other electronic products at a 50 % discount. There are also allegations against Evaly for not paying for products from customers. Every day one or another customer is crowding in front of their office.
But no one can give any good news to the deceived customers. BASIS President Almas Kabir said, “It is true that these companies are not taking products from people with money. Now if they are arrested and jailed, the customer will not get their money back. My suggestion is that the government should appoint administrators in these institutions and sell the properties they have, but not all the money should be paid, but as much money as possible should be given to the customers.
E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (E-CAB) General Secretary. Abdul Waheed Tamal said, “If everyone accepts the circular issued by the Ministry of Commerce, fraud will be reduced a lot.”. We also want discipline to return to this sector quickly, he added.
There are more than 2,000 website-based and about 1 lakh Facebook-based e-commerce sites in Bangladesh.
