E-Commerce Expectations Echoed: Entrepreneurs Engage Postal Authority for Policy Overhaul
In a high-profile dialogue titled "E-Commerce in Bangladesh: Expectations from Bangladesh Post", held Wednesday at the General Post Office in Agargaon, e-commerce and logistics entrepreneurs called for a sweeping policy reassessment to enhance the sector’s operational environment and help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Highlighting the urgency of reducing food waste to combat climate change, sector leaders emphasized the need to establish cold storage facilities in every post office across the country. This, they argued, would effectively bridge farmers with e-grocery platforms, reducing spoilage and enhancing delivery efficiency.
Entrepreneurs also stressed the importance of advanced features in e-commerce portals and apps, including modern sorting systems, GPS-based real-time tracking, and secure digital payment infrastructure.
To expand cross-border trade, speakers called for streamlining Bangladesh Post’s EMS and MPS services. Other demands included activating idle postal vehicles and spaces, providing Wi-Fi at post offices, allowing warehousing at postal facilities, easing compensation policies under current regulations, reducing licensing tiers, extending license validity from two to five years, and enabling 24/7 movement for courier vehicles. Special attention was also requested to ensure uninterrupted courier services during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha holiday period.
Startups and logistics service providers urged for public-private partnerships to build a cohesive e-commerce ecosystem and sought government investment in R&D initiatives.
The discussion was attended by over fifty entrepreneurs and presided over by Acting Director General of Bangladesh Post, S.M. Shahabuddin. Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, listened to entrepreneurs’ demands and highlighted the government's vision for "reverse e-commerce"—a strategy to spread business from rural to urban areas and beyond national borders.
"We want to make e-commerce a fundamental tool for poverty alleviation," Taiyeb said. "For example, a bamboo craft from a rural village like Bandua should be able to reach an elite consumer in Dhaka. You, as entrepreneurs, can accelerate poverty reduction by adding value within that chain. This rural-to-urban, even overseas, reverse channel must ensure access to customers."
Industry leaders like Bipul G. Rahul (CEO, eCourier), Zia Ashraf (Co-founder, Chaldal.com), Hossain (Chief of Daraz Bangladesh), Hafizur Rahman Pulak (President, Courier Services Association of Bangladesh), and a representative from ShopUp presented their respective demands.
Responding to these, Taiyeb called upon private actors to support and strengthen the national postal service through joint ventures. He proposed the formation of a research cell and a special committee to identify and address internal challenges within the sector. He also directed the Director General to formulate a Service Level Agreement (SLA) distinguishing between perishable and non-perishable items.
Postal Director shared updates on the ongoing enhancements, noting that the “Dakiya” app is functioning well and GPS tracking systems will be implemented within the next two months. The department also plans to share delete APIs with private sector collaborators.
To bolster sustainability, Taiyeb recommended integrating drop boxes into the postal tracking and VMS systems. Additionally, in response to courier service entrepreneurs’ concerns, he announced a three-month suspension of the existing compensation policy. He also urged businesses to ensure a system for receiving user ratings to enhance service transparency and accountability.
