Don’t allow shoppers pay directly to e-commerce platforms, commerce ministry urges Bangladesh Bank

The commerce ministry today suggested Bangladesh Bank take step directing banks of not accepting deposits of money made by online shoppers to the accounts of e-commerce companies.

The move comes as the commerce ministry finds that some digital commerce companies are asking online shoppers to deposit money directly to their accounts.

The ministry said this is done to evade the digital commerce guidelines 2021 it framed last month and to avoid Bangladesh Bank's directive.

"As a result, customers can again be deceived," the commerce ministry said in a letter to Bangladesh Bank governor.

In July, the commerce ministry decided to hold payments made by customers to local e-commerce platforms until consumers receive the purchased items.

The development followed rising allegations against a number of digital commerce platforms that they were not delivering goods timely or delaying too much against advance payments made by consumers for the products.