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The volume of customers' stuck-up funds with 25 e-commerce platforms would be around Tk 5.60 billion, a latest central bank report has revealed, which is much higher than the previous estimate of Tk 2.14 billion.
According to the report obtained by the FE, the amount remained stuck up with nine payment gateways, including SSL, ShurjoMukhi, Foster, bKash, Nagad, and Southeast Bank Ltd etc.
Of the amount, over Tk 3.91 billion of Qcoom, paid by their customers against ordered products, has been stashed with different gateways as of January 31 last, according to the Bangladesh Bank (BB) report.
The rest around Tk 1.68 billion (Tk 516 million, Tk 446.36 million and Tk 286.18 million of Alesha Mart, E-orange and Evaly respectively) got stuck in the gateways until January 31 last.
The nine payment gateways and service-providing firms are: bKash, Nagad, Software Shop (SSL), ShurjoMukhi, Foster Corporation, The City Bank, Dutch Bangla Bank, United Commercial Bank and Southeast Bank Ltd.
The commerce ministry has started refunding the customers concerned of two crisis-ridden e-commerce portals -- Qcoom and Alesha Mart -- having funds stuck up with Foster Corporation and SSL.
Meanwhile, new complications have created over refunding the amount of Qcoom clients that got stuck with Foster Corporation.
The payment gateway has recently written to the central bank that necessary 'court order or approval' will need to pay the dues of those who made the purchase order through agents.
To resolve the issue, the commerce ministry, Bangladesh Bank and Foster had a virtual meeting in late January, 2022. "Some proposals came from the meeting. We are currently working on the proposals," said a senior official at the commerce ministry.
The customers of Qcoom have so far got back more than Tk 230 million.
Earlier, 6,721 clients have been listed to reimburse over Tk 590 million out of the total funds from the payment gateways.
The government authorities concerned have taken multiple steps in the wake of various scandals by dubious e-commerce platforms such as Evaly, E-orange, Dhamaka Shopping, Sirajganj Shop, Dalal plus etc.
The government on February 06 introduced the Digital Business Identification (DBID) system to bring discipline in the crisis-ridden e-commerce sector of the country.
The state authority -- Registrar of the Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) -- issues the DBID. But, it is currently going slow due to procedural complexities, a source said.
Currently, bank accounts and operations of most of the controversial e-commerce platforms still remain blocked and suspended, a source said.
Experts suggested that the government should take prompt steps for restoring clients' confidence for the sake of the flourishing e-commerce sector in the country.
Meanwhile, crisis-ridden e-commerce portal Dalal Plus is set to start today (Thursday) refunding its customers from the money that got stuck with the payment gateways.
Initially, some 10 clients of the platform will get back over Tk 1.77 million out of the total Tk 340.64 million stashed with different gateways, including Shurjomukhi Ltd and software shop limited (SSL), said the official.
As part of the move, additional commerce secretary and chief of the central digital commerce cell AHM Shafiquzzaman will inaugurate the disbursement of funds at his secretariat office.
Senior ministry officials and representatives from e-CAB, law-enforcing agencies, different state agencies and e-commerce platforms will attend the function.