A sharp rise in applications for Digital Business Identification (DBID) in Bangladesh has pushed total submissions beyond 13,500, while the number of certified digital businesses has reached just over 2,100 -- highlighting both growing formalisation and persistent approval bottlenecks.
According to the latest statistics from the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC), a total of 13,541 applications have been submitted to the DBID platform. Of these, 13,189 have been disposed of, while 352 remain pending.
However, only 2,136 digital businesses have so far secured DBID certification, underscoring a significant gap between applications and approvals.
The updated figures indicate a notable increase compared to earlier data. During the same period last year, there was 1500 digital businesses registered.
The latest numbers suggest a strong rise in both applications and successful certifications over the past year.
Despite this progress, the approval rate remains low. Earlier estimates showed that more than 85 per cent of applicants failed to secure certification, largely due to compliance issues. While the number of certified firms has increased, the overall success ratio still reflects stringent requirements and a high rejection rate.
Officials at the RJSC say most applications are rejected due to incomplete documentation and failure to meet mandatory conditions -- particularly the requirement to clearly display business terms and conditions in Bangla on websites or social media pages.
Industry insiders, however, argue that the process remains overly complex. Business leaders say many firms -- especially small entrepreneurs and social media-based sellers -- struggle with documentation requirements and technical compliance, resulting in repeated applications and delays.
The DBID system was introduced in February 2022 by the Ministry of Commerce following major e-commerce scams, including the Evaly incident, to restore consumer confidence and bring discipline to the sector.
Under current guidelines, all e-commerce and social media-based businesses must obtain a DBID to operate legally. Registration is allowed without a trade licence if a business has an online presence.
Bangladesh's digital commerce sector has expanded rapidly since the Covid-19 pandemic, with an estimated 2,000 web-based enterprises and more than 50,000 social media-based entrepreneurs operating across the country.
Stakeholders have called for simplification of the registration process to accelerate certification and bring more businesses under formal oversight. Without reforms, they warn, the pace of certification may remain too slow to match the sector's rapid growth.
The latest data thus reflect a mixed picture: rising interest in formal registration, but continuing structural challenges in converting applications into certified digital businesses.
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