The High Court on November 1 issued a rule asking why the money stuck at the payment gateway in the escrow service launched for e-commerce companies should not be instructed to return to the concerned customers.
A virtual bench of The High Court Judges comprising Justice Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Mohammad Kamrul Hasan Mollah issued this instruction in the hearing of the writ petition to return the money stuck in the payment gateway to the customers while they opted for buying products from the e-commerce companies.
Barrister M. Abdul Qayyum and Barrister Sabrina Jerin heard the writ in the court.
Earlier on October 21, the Conscious Consumers’ Society (CCS), a non-governmental organization working on consumer rights, had filed a writ petition seeking guidance on the issue.
The writ petition was filed to return the money stuck in the payment gateway to the customers while going to buy products in the e-commerce company. Barrister Sabrina Jerin, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the writ petition on behalf of CCS.
Gateway system has been introduced to protect the buyer’s money in case of payment in e-commerce. But Tk 214 crore transacted since last July is stuck with the gateway companies. No way has been found yet to return that money. As a result, customers are going door to door demanding their money back. Bangladesh Bank, Ministry of Commerce have not yet been able to find a way.
Bangladesh Bank has so far licensed 9 companies to provide e-payment gateway or e-wallet services. Of these, five companies have received licenses for payment service operators or e-payment gateway services. And four companies have been licensed for payment service providers or e-wallet services.
The five payment systems operators (PSOs) are: IT Consultants, SSL Commerce, Suryamukhi Limited, Pragati Systems and Portonics Limited.
