Amazon, the e-commerce giant, recently had a meeting with Govt. where they requested the government to ease the process so that the platform could source goods from the country’s small entrepreneurs to its warehouses in US and Europe.
A delegation of Amazon, led by its international expansion wing’s category manager Gagan Deep Sagar, made the request when they met state minister for information and communication technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak at the ICT division.
Under the proposed mode of financial transaction, Bangladeshi exporters have to keep their goods at Amazon warehouses in the USA. After any product is sold out, Bangladeshi exporters will get the prices from Amazon, after adjusting commission.
However, there exists no such provision in the current foreign exchange regulations, or customs laws.
Amazon had been trying to establish a chain with local producers of garments, leather and some other items since last year but the move went in vain as Bangladesh’s customs regulations did not support the process Amazon follows.
Amazon officials pointed out that country’s small entrepreneurs found difficulties in fulfilling the requirements of exporting products like opening letter of credit and complying with taxation issues.
Amazon proposed for easing the procedural requirements so that the small entrepreneurs could send products directly to the entity’s warehouses.
Govt. acknowledged the difficulties and promised that they would scrutinise the proposals of Amazon and device strategy accordingly upon discussion with the stakeholders. The state minister also promised that he would discuss the proposal with the prime minister’s ICT affairs adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
However, it wasn’t clear whether Amazon had expressed any intention to open office or business in Bangladesh, as that decision depends on their strategy and policy.
