Published : 01 Sep 2026, 01:23 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:37 AM
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has told parliament that over 58,000 complaints have reportedly been lodged against e-commerce companies with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.
According to his counts, the amount of money claimed by customers in these complaints totals nearly Tk 38.69 billion.
He added that out of around Tk 5.31 billion trapped across multiple payment gateways, Tk 4.72 billion has already been refunded to consumers.
The minister disclosed this information on Sunday in response to a notice in parliament calling attention to an urgent matter of public importance.
Jamaat-e-Islami MP Rashedul Islam Rashed drew the minister's attention to financial scams within the country's digital commerce sector.
He highlighted allegations brought against Evaly, e-Orange, Qcoom, Dhamaka Shopping, Alesha Mart, and recent charges involving Flight Expert.
Rashedul asked how much money remains blocked, how much has been refunded, and what measures will be taken to prevent such incidents.
In response, Muktadir said the National Digital Commerce Policy, Digital Commerce Operational Guidelines, and Digital Business ID (DBID) Registration guidelines were formulated to bring e-commerce operations under a legal framework.
He revealed that 1,902 companies have been issued DBIDs to date.
According to his statement, 58,720 complaints have been filed involving different e-commerce platforms.
The minister said the Payment Systems Department of Bangladesh Bank had introduced the Merchant Acquiring and Escrow Service Policy to secure transactions in e-commerce.
Under the escrow system, funds paid by customers do not go directly to sellers; instead, money is released only after the receipt of goods or services is confirmed.
He also said, "The government plans to establish a Digital Commerce Regulatory Authority to restore order to the e-commerce sector and bring e-commerce firms under registration to prevent fraud."
However, as setting up this authority is time-consuming, amending the National Consumer Rights Protection Act to grant greater powers to the directorate is currently under consideration as an interim measure.
