We must restore trust in e-commerce

It is difficult to buy into the promise of a Smart Bangladesh when justice continues to elude many victims of e-commerce scams. Over the past few years, thousands of customers have lost money to such scams. As per a new report, as many as 19,623 complaints against 50 e-commerce companies – filed with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection – remain unresolved, with Tk 600 crore yet to paid to complainants. This points to a desperate need for safeguarding the interests of customers and strengthening the legal framework related to e-commerce platforms.

Many of the companies that have been accused of scams are practically defunct now. In the absence of adequate mechanisms to hold them accountable, the commerce ministry is paying victims from the Tk 525 crore (of 27 e-commerce companies) stuck in payment gateways. One would think that the priority would be recovering money from the companies themselves. But owners of fraudulent companies seem to be out of reach, some being unresponsive presently (such as the bosses at Evaly) and others having fled the country.

How did we get to this point? Why haven't systems been put into place to protect e-commerce consumers? They certainly do not deserve the uncertainty that has been created. Against this backdrop, one hopes that the Central Complaint Management System (CCMS) launched by the ministry on February 19 will be helpful in addressing some of the concerns.

As e-commerce thrives around the globe, we sincerely hope that Bangladesh will be able to keep up by establishing a foolproof digital infrastructure and ensuring best service for customers. The scams carried out in recent years must not result in citizens losing faith in the sector altogether. We urge the relevant authorities to prioritise the formulation and implementation of proper laws and regulations that protect consumers' best interests. More importantly, those companies accused of scams must face justice for public trust to be fully restored. They must be made to clear the dues owed to complainants, so that no other companies dare to commit fraud in the future.