The Bangladesh government has adopted a plan to take e-commerce to rural areas.
The new initiative aims to set up an ‘e-shop’ in all the 64 districts, which will be connected to a central e-commerce website bringing buyers and sellers together at a single platform.
The e-shops will list local businesses and the products they offer, which will allow them to connect buyers in different parts of the country, skipping middlemen.
On Sunday, the government launched the initial project.
“E-shop is a revolutionary concept. It will empower the lower-income group in the rural areas,” State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak told the inauguration ceremony at the ministry.
He said the government hopes it will significantly contribute to the country’s economy.
“It will play an important role for the rural population’s livelihood as well protect the local industries.”
Palak said that e-shops will enable producers to connect with buyers without via middlemen.
The government will train 1,000 entrepreneurs over e-commerce, who will then work as trainers for the rural people on how to use the planned e-shops, he added.
The minister said that the Bangladesh’s rank in the UN’s e-government index has significantly improved in the last two years. “In 2014, Bangladesh ranked 148th and now, in 2016 it’s 124th.”
Source: bdnews24