E-Cab ‘alerted’ commerce ministry about Evaly two years ago

The e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) on Tuesday claimed it had alerted the commerce ministry to the "rogue" business policy of the controversial e-commerce site Evaly two years ago.

"In 2019, we requested the commerce ministry to investigate the issue. But the government did not take any action at the time; it rather promoted the company," said e-CAB General Secretary Abdul Wahed Tomal while briefing journalists about an ongoing 20-day awareness campaign in the capital on Tuesday.

"We had also internally warned Evaly about its market policy and asked the company to amend it, but Evaly did not pay heed."

The e-CAB and 20 e-commerce companies are jointly holding the "10-10" campaign.

The objective of the campaign held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon is to make people aware of online shopping in the wake of the e-commerce business crisis following the exposure of fraudulence by several major online platforms. 

"Following our efforts, the e-commerce policy was formulated in 2018. In the policy, there were clear guidelines for short, medium and long-term planning," said the e-CAB general secretary.

He said that after the Evaly controversy came to public knowledge in 2020, e-Cab formed a technical team consisting of five Dhaka University teachers and two lawyers.

The committee reviewed Evaly's business model and identified the loopholes, following which it suggested a formulation of guidelines, he added.

"We have identified many problems and shared them with the commerce ministry, ICT Division, and the Bangladesh Bank," said Abdul Wahed Tomal.

"We have discussed the risk aspects of this business with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and the Bangladesh Competition Commission. In view of all these, the commerce ministry issued guidelines on 4 July."

Replying to questions as to why e-CAB had delayed suspending the membership of several e-commerce sites such as Eorange, he said, "We took action against them as soon as the government initiated the legal procedure. We can't do anything before a move by the government authorities."

Speaking on the occasion, e-Cab President Shomi Kaiser said that the e-commerce sector has provided employment to two lakh people in the last two years.

"The bad aspects of e-commerce are being discussed but its successes are not very few. Now we are formulating a policy on what we will do to get out of this situation." 

She said e-commerce is still serving around 80 lakh families.

"Today we are 1609 members. If it is 1200, then there is no problem. Those who do well will remain there only. We are taking action about those against whom complaints are coming in."

AKM Fahim Mashroor, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ajkerdeal.com, Pathao President Fahim Ahmed, Jachai Chairman Abdul Aziz, Zia Ashraf of Chaldal, Rezwanul Haque Jami of ekShop and Moni Talukder, CEO of Pickaboo, among others, spoke at the awareness campaign