New platform formed to promote e-business transaction

Apex IT trade body, BASIS, and e-commercial companies have formed a joint national platform to promote electronic business transaction in the country.
Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr Atiur Rahman formally announced on Sunday the platform named BASIS E-commerce Alliance in the capital as the chief guest.
President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) Shameem Ahsan, ICT Joint Secretary Susanta Kumar Saha, former FBCCI president Annisul Huq, Nitol Niloy Group Chairman Abdul Matlub Ahmad, BASIS Senior Vice President Russell T Ahmed and Executive Director of the BASIS Sami Ahmed, among others, addressed the launching ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony the central bank governor appreciated the move and said it will help build customers' confidence in online-based trading.
Dr Atiur said e-commerce is getting popular in the country, thus it requires proper nursing for getting expected benefit from the sector.
The BB governor called upon the authorities to make the alliance a platform for the e-commerce community including banks, financial institutions, local and international credit card issuing agencies and the entrepreneurs.
The BB boss also supported the demand of BASIS to keep the sector out of the government's tax net for a few years to attract stakeholders in the internet-based business.
"If the sector could be facilitated with the tax exemption for the period, it would significantly help increase such business," he noted.
Earlier, BASIS demanded providing the IT sector a 10-year tax exemption.  
He said volume of the country's internet-based transaction has crossed Tk 2.0 billion, which is impressive.
The FBCCI president said the agencies related to the backward and forward linkages of e-commerce needed to be involved for the expansion of such business.
BASIS President Mr Ahsan said the alliance will work to enhance public awareness, to acquire public acceptance, skills development, policy advocacy and legal assistance related to the sector.
He said the alliance will play a pivotal role to implement different programmes to outspread e-Commerce business.
"The acceptability of e-commerce will be enhanced through this and the economic structure of the country will be further strong," he noted.
    khairulisalmdu@gamil.