The popularity of F-Commerce or E-commerce is on the rise and fraud and consumer harassment are on the rise also in this platform. This is a large platform for easy access to products at home. Consumer rights have become a major challenge despite the increase in the size and annual growth of the sector due to delays in delivery of substandard goods and harassment of consumers through various temptations.
This was stated by Bablu Kumar Saha, Director General, National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, in a webinar on ‘E-Commerce and Consumer Rights: Barriers and Recommendations in the Cavid-19 Situation’ on Tuesday. The chief guest was the Secretary of Commerce. Md. Zafar Uddin.
Babul Kumar Saha said that E-commerce was started in the country in 2009. The popularity has increased over the last two-three years. The consumer is deceived because he does not know the conditions imposed on the purchase of goods in English. In the meantime, more than five thousand complaints have been lodged with the consumer rights.
Golam Rahman, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh-CAB, said fraud models are often created in the name of E-commerce. The consumer is held hostage to create a web of deception.
The chief guest Zafar Uddin said that e-commerce is a recognized commercial medium in the world market. Bangladesh has also started getting the benefits. At this time, he said, through e-commerce we have been able to give onion to the consumer at 25 to 30 rupees per kg. This is a milestone for E-commerce. He also said that the Ministry of Commerce would take up any suggestions for better use of e-commerce and formulate policies.
