Policy of Bangladesh Messagee-cab.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/News_Letter_October_Issue.pdf · I would like to express my ... Association of Bangladesh Mr. Fahim Mashroor CEO,

Wednesday, 26 October 2016 Venue: Radisson Blu Water Garden (Lohori Hall), Dhaka

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) and Visa for organizing this Policy Conference. It is a timely step for the development of e-Commerce sector of Bangladesh. e-Commerce has huge potential for our country and to unlock that potential, we must have proper policies to regulate the operations of the industry players, safeguard

e-Commerce in Bangladesh came to the light in the late

90s. And it has been pleasantly growing since then. People started using internet more frequently than ever before and e-Commerce was taking its place slowly in the socio-economic paradigm of this country. However, its growth has been increased in the country during the last few years due to the public awareness, campaigns, advertisements, exposures and the involvement of ICT Division, Bangladesh. Now, it is being considered to have the enormous potential to play a vital role in developing the socio-economic status of Bangladesh. And that is not surprising at all to the industry experts here. Such speculation is being supported by careful observations, studies and initiatives based on the requirements

The biggest digital expo of Bangladesh Digital World 2016 started from Wednesday (October 19,2016). On the first day, e-Commerce

Association of Bangladesh e-CAB organized a seminar titled “How to Expand e-Commerce to Rural Areas,”e-CAB Vice President Rezwanul Haque Jami and Zoe Mandich, Ph.D, presented keynote paper at the seminar. Mr. Jami said, “Lack of access to broadband internet, logistic network, escrow architecture, unavailability

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MessageFormulating National e-Commerce Policy of Bangladesh

e-CAB Seminar onRural e-Commerce at Digital World 2016

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Wednesday, 26 October 2016 | Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden

10:00am-11:00am Opening Ceremony

Chief Guest Mr. Tofail Ahmed, MP, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Commerce

11:30am- 01:00pm Local & Foreign Investment in Bangladesh

Chief Guest Mr. Hasanul Haq Inu, MP, Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of Information

2:00pm- 3:30pm Business leadership Dialogue on e-Commerce

Chief Guest Ms. Tarana Halim, MP, Hon’ble State Minister, Ministry of Posts Telecommunications and Information Technology

03:30am- 05:00pm Online Payment & Transaction

Chief Guest Mr. M A Mannan, MP, Hon'ble State Minister, Ministry of Finance

05:30pm-06:30pm Closing Ceremony

Chief Guest Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, Hon'ble State Minister, ICT Division

Program Schedule

Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MPHon’ble State Minister, ICT Division


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All ICT associations in Bangladesh are going to work together to build smart

city. A smart city is an urban development vision to integrate multiple information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in a secured fashion to manage a city’s assets, such as local departments information systems, schools, libraries, transportation systems, hospitals, power plants, water supply networks, waste management, law enforcement, and other community services. The goal of building a smart city is to improve quality of life by using technology to improve the efficiency of services and meet of the residents needs.Representatives of The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB), Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), Bangladesh Association of Call Center and Outsourcing (BACCO), Bangladesh Computer Society, Internet Service Providers Association Bangladesh (ISPAB), Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum (BIJF), CTO Forum and Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh at a seminar have announced to work together to build the said smart city.

On July 24, 2016 Bangladesh Computer Society organized a seminar titled ‘Smart City and IoT.’ At the seminar, representatives of the trade associations have formed a committee. In this regard BASIS President Mustafa Jabbar has become convener of the committee. e-CAB General Secretary, Md. Abdul Wahed Tomal delivered the keynote speech in the seminar. In addition, smart city development expert Baback Bahrami and Zoe Mandich and British consultant Rohima Mia attended the

event via Skype. BASIS President Mustafa Jabbar, FBCCI Director Shafquat Haider, e-CAB President Razib Ahmed, Bangladesh Computer Society President Prof. Dr. Mohammad Mahfuzul Islam, Bangladesh Computer Samity Secretary General Subrata Sarkar, CTO Forum President Tapan Kanti Sarkar, BIJF President Tariq Rahman, BACCO President Ahmadul Hoq Bobby, Mohammad Iqbal Jamal, Chairman, e-Commerce Standing Committee FBCCI, Mohammad Abdul Haque, Assistant Editor, Computer Jagat, founding member of Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum AHM Bazlur Rahman, a2i Director Md. Mustafizur Rahman, and Khan Mohummad Kaisar, Chairman of e-CAB Goverment Affairs Standing Committee were present at the meeting.

ICT Associations join hands to build Smart City

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e-CAB Album e-CAB Albume-CAB Album e-CAB Albume-CAB Album e-CAB Albume-CAB Album

e-CAB leaders meeting with Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, ndcSenior Secretary Ministry of Commerce

e-CAB was the proud partner of Digital World 2016

e-CAB leaders meeting with Mafruha Sultana, Vice-Chairman (Chief Executive Officer), Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau

e-CAB leaders meeting with the Director Generalof Bangladesh Post Office

e-CAB leaders congratulating Mustafa Jabbar on being elected as the President of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS)

Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu, e-CAB Finance Secretary has been awarded the National ICT Award 2016


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e-Commerce Policy Conference in Bangladesh 2016

Mr. Tofail Ahmed, MPHon'ble Minister, Ministry of Commerce

Mr. Nahim Razzaq, MPMember of Parliament & Adviser, e-CAB

Mr. Razib AhmedPresident, e-CAB

Shomi KaiserAdviser, e-CAB

Ms. Rama TadepalliHead of Product – India & South Asia, Visa

Mr. Sayeeful IslamManaging Director, SSL Wireless

Mr. Md. Abdul Wahed TomalGeneral Secretary, e-CAB

Opening Ceremony 10:00am-11:00am

Mr. Hasanul Haq Inu, MPHon'ble Minister, Ministry of Information

Mr. Nazrul Islam KhanCurator Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Memorial Museum & Adviser, e-CAB

Mr. Shuvashish BoseDirector General (Additional Secretary),

WTO cell, Ministry of Commerce

Hosne Ara Begum, NDCManaging Director (Additional Secretary)

Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority

Mr. Rezaul HassanGroup CEO, REVE Group

Mr. Shameem AhsanVenture Capital & Private Equity

Association of Bangladesh

Mr. Fahim MashroorCEO, Bdjobs.com Ltd

Md. Mostafizur Rahaman SohelJoint Secretary General, BASIS

Mr. Rezwanul Haque JamiVice-President, e-CAB

Local & Foreign Investment in Bangladesh 11:30am- 01:00pm

Ms. Tarana Halim, MPHon'ble State Minister, Ministry of Posts,

Telecommunications and Information Technology

Tapan Kanti SarkarPresident, CTO Forum

Mr. Ahmadul Hoq BobbyPresident, BACCO

Mr. MA HakimPresident, ISPAB

Mr. Mohammad Iqbal JamalAdviser, e-CAB

Mr. Muhammad KhanPresident, BIJF

Business leadership Dialogue on e-Commerce 2:00pm- 3:30pm

Mr. Mustafa JabbarPresident, BASIS

Mr. Razib AhmedPresident, e-CAB

Mr. Abdullah H KafiManaging Director, J. A. N. Associates

Russell T AhmedSenior Vice President, BASIS

Mr. A K M ShamsuddohaPresident, Dohatec New Media

Mr. Abdullah H KafiManaging Director, J. A. N. Associates

Mr. Abdul Matlub AhmadPresident, FBCCI


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Mr. M A Mannan, MPHon'ble State Minister, Ministry of Finance

Mr. Anir ChowdhuryPolicy Advisor, Access to Information

(a2i) Programme

Mr. Md. Harunur RashidAdditional Secretary, ICT Division

Ms. Lila RashidGeneral Manager, Payment System Dept.,

Bangladesh Bank

Mr. Shaikh Abdul AzizChairman, LEADS Corporation Limited

Mr. Sayeeful IslamManaging Director, SSL Wireless

Ms. Rama TadepalliHead of Product

India & South Asia, Visa

Mr. Syed Mohammad KamalCountry Manager, Bangladesh, MasterCard& Business Lead, Remittance, South Asia

Mr. Muklesur RahmanManaging Director and CEO,

Shimanto Bank Ltd.


Online Payment & Transaction 03:30pm - 05:00pm

Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak MPHon'ble State Minister, ICT Division Mr. Razib Ahmed

President, e-CAB

Mr. Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, ndcSenior Secretary,

Ministry of Commerce

Mr. Kabir Bin AnwarDirector General (Admin), PMO & Project Director

Access to Information (a2i) Programme

Mr. Abdul Matlub AhmadPresident, FBCCI

Mr. Abrar A. AnwarChief Executive Officer,

Standard Chartered Bank

Mr. Ashish ChakrabartyChief Operating Officer, SSL Wireless


Closing Ceremony 05:30pm-06:30pm

Mr. Shyam Sunder SikderSecretary, ICT Division


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e-CAB Seminar on Rural e-Commerce at Digital World 2016

Web development and domain hosting are a must for e-Commerce. Without them it is not possible to develop e-Commerce. e-CAB has been hosting a series of policy dialogues with different industry people and stake holders to develop e-Commerce policy. This was the third policy dialogue session of a 12-series policy dialogues. At the e-Commerce Policy Dialogue on web development and domain hosting, the participants made following suggestions: 1. Allow local companies to maintain their servers at the Data Center of

Bangladesh Computer Council2. Encourage public and private organizations to use of local servers for

the sake of national security 3. Create a .bd domain for e-Commerce sites and encourage companies

to use it. Pursue BTCL to upgrade its domain hosting services4. Provide a minimum tax holiday period of ten years to the Bangladeshi

hosting providers and impose 30% tax on foreign domain hosting providers

5. Allow the domain hosting companies to set up special bank accounts to send money abroad. The minimum amount that can be sent through the accounts should be $5000.

6. Pursue the government to take necessary steps to take services from local companies for all of its web-based functions.

7. Allow e-Sign in e-Commerce8. Company names under trade license or trademark register cannot be

reused by another company. Domain of the same name will not be issued.

9. In case of a company take up names of an established brand and change its spelling it will not be issued any domain under that new name.

Suggestions generated from e-Commerce PolicyDialogue on Web Development and Domain Hosting

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of e-commerce platforms in mobile devices, absence of commodity exchange, lack of availability for an efficient agro-marketing network, policy deficiency and no financing infrastructure for e-commerce are the key barriers in the way of expansion of e-commerce in the rural areas.” A discussion followed the keynote paper presentation. Nahim Razzaq MP, Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, Registrar & Director General of the Department of Cooperatives Md. Mofizul Islam, CAB President Razib Ahmed, Chief Operating Officer of Aarong Mohammad Abdur Rouf, Bagdoom.com CEO Syeda Kamrun Ahmed, e-CAB Vice President Rezwanul Haque Jami and Zoe Mandich, Ph.D participated in the discussion.Nahim Razzaq MP said, “The e-Commerce sector of our country observed significant growth in the last five years. We have bright future ahead of us but there are many issues that need to be addressed to ensure proper growth of this sector. Hence, we must advance carefully. Trust is the foundation of this business. Without trust, there would be no e-Commerce.” Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon said, “ e-Commerce is the future business.

By 2020, 315 million people in rural India will be connected to Internet. This is a huge market for e-Commerce and the top e-Commerce companies are already working to establish their foothold in rural India. Similarly, Chinese e-Commerce giant, Alibaba started “Rural Taobao” centers in 2014. Rural Taobao centers are established across villages enabling rural people to buy products online as well as sell local products. At present, there are more than four thousand Union Digital Centers in our country that can be used to spread e-Commerce in rural Bangladesh.” Chief Operating Office of Aarong, Mohammad Abdur Rouf said, “A big challenge is money collection from the rural area and if we can ensure it, the expansion would be beyond our expectation. Urban consumers dominate the e-commerce scene. To include rural people, we will have to concentrate on supplies from the rural area as there are under-utilized products there.” Bagdoom.com CEO Syeda Kamrun Ahmed said that the Internet infrastructure in rural areas is not up to the mark. Currently, small e-Commerce entrepreneurs can not apply for loans to banks and other financial institutions.

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their interests and ensure safety and security of the parties involved.e-Commerce is the future of business and commerce. The current government, upon coming to power, started implementing Digital Bangladesh Vision-2021 step by step. The main goal of Digital Bangladesh is to ensure economic growth through the usage of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in every sphere including business and commerce. In this regard, e-Commerce is an integral part of Digital Bangladesh. In 2009, under the leadership of the current government, Bangladesh Bank legalized online transaction within the country thus formally opening up the e-Commerce sector. The next

step is to formulate policies for sound operation and growth of the industry. With this goal, we would like to have a good tie with e-CAB to formulate an effective policy guideline for the e-Commerce sector. For the last few months, e-CAB has been working tirelessly to make it happen. In this e-Commerce Policy Conference, the stakeholders and people from other sector that are directly and indirectly involved with the industry will attend and provide their valuable opinions and insights. I am very hopeful that based on these inputs we shall be able to formulate a time befitting policies for the Bangladeshi e-Commerce industry and transform our economy to the Digital Economy.Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu.

Message

Formulating National e-Commerce Policy of Bangladesh

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of the consumer base as people are relying on internet day by day.As soon as e-CAB was formed, one of the prime concerns came to the front and that was, there were not enough regulations in act for e-Commerce and all other relevant sectors involved. Complains against unethical activities of business owners were issued. Lack of quality in products, customer service and business operations were noticed. Concerns in security and insurance were raised. The need to improve delivery services all over the country and payment facilities was blatant. What if someone opens a business online for fraudulent activities and gets away with it? What will happen to the small business owners if corporate investors come into play? How can the local industry survive when foreign companies appear to dominate? Certainly, shaping an industry from a blooming phase to the booming phase is a mammoth task. Especially in a developing country like Bangladesh, it appears even more challenging because people need to start from the scratch in most cases.

An informal approach was followed at first to accumulate e-Commerce business groups and entrepreneurs. In the process of formulating National e-Commerce Policy of Bangladesh, numerous round table meetings were organized. Issues regarding the e-Commerce industry were identified. We selected our objectives to base our policy formulation in order to improve the existing facilities and outlining the future ones in the e-Commerce sector. A series of Policy Dialogue Meetings had been formally arranged on the purpose. Entrepreneurs, business owners and senior officials working in the industry attended the meetings. They raised the problems they experienced in the industry and also offered their suggestions. All these concerns, suggestions and proposals were carefully considered and noted. We arranged our discussions focusing on the major sectors involved in the industry in order to formulate our policy and action plans to improve the current status of the industry, with a

vision and planning for long term development. It is not a usual scenario in

Bangladesh to formulate national policy in a manner as such. The process that we are following ensures close engagement of industry bodies, experienced personnel, associations, organizations and

ministries in generating the National e-Commerce Policy of Bangladesh. At the same time, we expect e-CAB to contribute significantly in the advancement of technology and socio-economic development of the country.

Redwan Zakariah, Policy Advisor e-CAB

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Contact Us: House- 29 (M-A), Road- 6, Dhanmondi, Dhaka- 1205, Cell: +88 01700 61 22 73, E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.e-cab.net

It is now possible to order products and services online from anywhere Bangladesh and now the time has come to spread e-Commerce in rural areas of Bangladesh as well.

E-Commerce can do more good to rural people. For city dwellers, it is possible to access large shopping malls, hospitals, good doctors or schools but someone living in a remote area of the country it is impossible. For them, e-Commerce is the best solution.

Policy dialogue on Rural e-Commerce Organized

e-CAB meet up was held in Mohakhali on September 3, 2016.

e-CAB frequently organizes such meet up. e-CAB members as well as people from different walks of life who want to know about e-Commerce or want to start their own businesses come here to know about e-Commerce and network with other people. This meet up was no exception. The attendees shared knowledge about e-Commerce with each other.

e-CAB Meet Up at Mohakhali

Whether individuals, business, or any other sector, it is our duty to ensure women’s participation and advancement. The presence of women in the Bangladeshi e-Commerce sector is negligible. Even existing female e-Commerce entrepreneurs are facing lots of hurdles. In this policy dialogue session, discussants talked about the challenges female e-Commerce entrepreneurs are facing and providing them necessary assistance to overcome those challenges.

Policy Dialogue on Women in e-Commerce Organized

e-Commerce Policy Dialogue on Digital Marketing was held at e-CAB office. At the meeting, discussants talked about the current condition of digital marketing, remaining problems and possible steps to overcome them, and how digital marketing can be used for the development of e-Commerce. e-CAB President, Razib Ahmed, said that digital marketing is the backbone of e-Commerce. At the meeting discussants said that government should not impose VAT on digital marketing.

Policy Dialogue on Women in e-Commerce Organized

Walletmix Online Payment Gateway

A e-Commerce Policy meeting was held on August 13, 2016 at e-CAB

office. e-Commerce industry people attended the meeting. e-CAB already submitted a policy draft to ICT Division as per the direction of the ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak. At the meeting, the attendees discussed on e-Commerce policy draft, foreign investment in e-Commerce, investment and insurance, e-security and compliance, payment gateway, delivery service, domain and hosting, legal affairs and capacity development. The meeting also focused on attracting foreign investments in human resource development, technology, business,

proper usage of local resources, protecting the interests of the SME, decreasing tax amount, enabling e-Commerce companies to offer IPOs, clearly defining the goals of e-Commerce, establishing one stop service centers. Convener of the meeting, e-CAB General Secretary Md. Abdul Wahed Tomal presented the draft policy and asked for everyone’s feedback. e-CAB President Razib Ahmed said that there will be huge demand of skilled people in e-Commerce sector in near future. Hence, e-CAB should work to include e-Commerce in the curriculums of schools, colleges and universities.

e-Commerce Policy Meeting Held

e-CAB organized a day-long workshop on October 14, 2016. Titled, “Pathway to e-Commerce” the workshop had four sessions- Basics of e-Commerce, Guideline & legal works to start e-Commerce, Build and lead team, and Pathway to eCommerce Career. e-CAB Youth Forum supported the event. Hubdhaka and Shahin’s Helpline were partners. Four speakers spoke at the event. Asif Ahnaf, CEO, Aponzone.com spoke about basics of e-Commerce. In the second session, Aminul Islam, CEO Shahin’s Helpline, talked about legal

documentation to start e-Commerce business. Arnob Mustafa, founder of LightSpeed Source spoke on building and leading team, and Mehedi Reza Product Operations Manager at Alibaba Group, talked about e-Commerce and digital marketing. More than hundred people participated in the event. They came from different parts of the country Narsingdi, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Gazipur and Narayanganj. e-CAB President Razib Ahmed, e-CAB Youth Forum President Asif Ahnaf were present at the event.

e-CAB Daylong Workshop organized at HubDhaka Mirpur

Documents

Policy of Bangladesh Messagee-cab.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/News_Letter_October_Issue.pdf · I would like to express my ... Association of Bangladesh Mr. Fahim Mashroor CEO,