Competition Commission to sue e-commerce firms

Staff Correspondent: Chairperson of Bangladesh CompetitionCommission Md Mofizul Islam yesterday said they would sue those e-commerce firmswhich would sell products giving much more discounts compared to the usualmarket price or production costs to cheat the consumers.
“Some e-commerce firms are selling products giving abnormal discounts tocheat the consumers, even they are doing business with the money of theconsumers. Bangladesh Competition Commission will sue those e-commerce firmsvoluntarily in future if those are found guilty in their operations againstfair competition,” he said.
The Chairperson said this while addressing a view-exchange meeting with therepresentatives of various e-commerce firms at the conference room of theCommission in the city’s New Eskaton area.
Director General of Directorate of National Consumer Rights ProtectionBablu Kumar Saha, Competition Commission members GM Salahuddin, Nasrin Begum,
e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh general secretary Abdul Wahed Tomal andEconomic Reporters Forum (ERF) general secretary SM Rashidul Islam spoke,among others, on the occasion.
Mofizul informed that the Commission filed a case against Evaly on August12 last year when they offered up to 150 percent cash back under Eid DhamakaOffer. The investigation to the case is nearing completion while the chargesheet would be given very soon, he added.
He said although the government does not do business, but it discharges theduty as a referee. “The e-commerce has gained a lot of growth within a shorttime availing the business-friendly policy support of the government and thewidespread demand among the consumers,” Mofizul added.
The Competition Commission Chairman, however, issued a strong note ofwarning that no anti-competition activity would be tolerated anymore forsafeguarding the interest of the consumers.
Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection Bablu Kumar Saha urged the consumers to give orders through online after knowing properly the business module of the e-commerce firms.
Recently allegations have been raised against some e-commerce firms namely Evaly, e-Orange, Alesha Mart for cheating with the consumers while Evaly CEO Mohammad Rassel and Chairman Shamima Nasrin have already been arrested.
Currently, some 1,500 e-commerce firms are running their businesses in the country.