E-commerce law in Bangladesh is built around the Digital Commerce Operation Guideline 2021, issued after the collapse of several high-profile online marketplaces left thousands of customers unpaid. It sets hard limits on delivery times, advance payments and refunds, and it sits alongside consumer protection, tax, payment and data rules that every online seller must follow.
- The Ministry of Commerce issued the Digital Commerce Operation Guideline on 4 July 2021 under the National Digital Commerce Policy; it applies to marketplaces, online shops and sellers using social media pages.
- Paid orders must be handed to the courier within 48 hours and delivered within 5 days in the same city or 10 days elsewhere; if delivery fails, a full refund is due within 10 days through the original payment channel.
- Advance payment above 10% is not allowed for goods that are not ready to ship, unless the payment is held through a Bangladesh Bank-approved escrow service.
- Online businesses should hold a trade licence, TIN, VAT registration where applicable and a Digital Business Identity (DBID), which RJSC issues under guidelines made in 2022.
- A draft Cross-Border Digital Commerce Policy 2026 proposes DBID registration and a local presence for foreign platforms; a dedicated digital commerce regulator is planned but not yet in place.
Parliament passed the Personal Data Protection Act 2026 in April 2026, repealing the Personal Data Protection Ordinance 2025. References below to the Ordinance should be read in light of the 2026 Act.
The framework of e-commerce law in Bangladesh
There is no single e-commerce statute in Bangladesh. E-commerce law in Bangladesh is a combination of policy, guidelines and general laws, applied together by the Ministry of Commerce, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), Bangladesh Bank, the National Board of Revenue and the courts.
At the policy level sits the National Digital Commerce Policy, first adopted in 2018 and revised in 2020. Under it, the Ministry of Commerce issued the Digital Commerce Operation Guideline 2021, which contains the detailed operating rules. These are supported by statutes that apply to all businesses, online or not.
| Instrument | What it governs online |
|---|---|
| Digital Commerce Operation Guideline 2021 | Delivery, advance payment, refunds, disclosure, complaints, prohibited trades |
| Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 | Misleading claims, defective goods, overcharging; complaints to DNCRP |
| Contract Act 1872 and Sale of Goods Act 1930 | Formation of online contracts, implied conditions, passing of property |
| Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 | Legal recognition of electronic records and digital signatures |
| VAT and Supplementary Duty Act 2012, Income Tax Act 2023 | VAT on sales and services, withholding, foreign digital service providers |
| Bangladesh Bank payment rules | Payment gateways, mobile financial services, escrow, gift cards and vouchers |
| DBID Registration Guidelines 2022 | Identity registration for digital businesses through RJSC |
Is the Guideline legally binding?
The Guideline is an executive instrument rather than an Act of Parliament, which sometimes leads sellers to treat it as optional. That is a mistake. Breach can lead to cancellation of a trade licence or VAT registration, closure of a marketplace and action under the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 and other laws. Regulators and courts also use the Guideline as the benchmark for fair online trading.
Who the rules apply to
E-commerce law in Bangladesh, and the Guideline in particular, applies broadly to anyone selling goods or services through digital means to customers in Bangladesh. That includes:
- Marketplaces that host third-party sellers.
- Brands and retailers running their own websites or apps.
- Small businesses and individuals selling through Facebook pages, Instagram or similar platforms, often called f-commerce.
- Service platforms for food delivery, ride hailing, travel, tickets and similar services.
- Foreign businesses selling into Bangladesh, which must register and obtain the required permissions before operating.
Marketplaces carry extra duties under e-commerce law in Bangladesh. They must vet sellers, keep records of transactions and ensure that sellers on their platform comply with the Guideline, because customers usually look to the marketplace when something goes wrong.
Registration and licences for online businesses
Before trading, an online business needs the same basic registrations as any other business, plus a digital-specific identity. Under e-commerce law in Bangladesh, these details must also be shown on the website, app or social media page.
Trade licence, TIN and VAT
Obtain a trade licence from the city corporation or local authority, a tax identification number and VAT registration or enlistment depending on turnover. Companies must first incorporate with RJSC. Our guide to the trade licence process covers the first step.
Digital Business Identity (DBID)
The DBID was introduced under registration guidelines issued in 2022 and is issued by RJSC. It gives the authorities a central record of who is behind each online business. The Commerce Minister told Parliament in August 2026 that 1,902 entities had received a DBID, which shows that compliance remains patchy, especially among small social media sellers.
The Guideline also refers to the Unique Business Identification Number (UBID) and Personal Retail Account (PRA) for businesses that do not hold other registrations. Display whichever identifiers you hold on your storefront.
Sector licences
Some products need sector licences regardless of the sales channel. Medicines can be sold online only with a licence from the Directorate General of Drug Administration; food businesses need food safety registration; and telecom-enabled services may need BTRC registration. Selling a regulated product online does not avoid the licence: e-commerce law in Bangladesh creates no shortcut around sector licensing.
Delivery, advance payment and refund rules
These are the rules that most directly shape e-commerce law in Bangladesh in practice, and the ones the DNCRP enforces most often.
Delivery timelines
Once a customer has paid in full, the seller must hand the goods to the delivery person within 48 hours and inform the customer by phone, email or SMS. Delivery must then be completed within 5 days where the buyer and seller are in the same city or area, and within 10 days where they are in different cities or villages. Perishable and essential goods should be delivered faster, as stated at the time of order.
Advance payment
Full advance payment may be taken only for goods that are in stock and ready to ship. If goods are not ready to hand over within 48 hours, the seller may not take more than 10% in advance, unless the payment is held in an escrow service approved by Bangladesh Bank. This rule was a direct response to marketplaces that collected large advances for goods they did not have.
Refunds and cancellation
If advance payment was taken and delivery is not made on time, the customer is entitled to a full refund within 10 days, paid through the same channel used for payment. If supply becomes impossible for reasons beyond the seller's control, the seller must tell the buyer within 48 hours of the order and refund in full within 72 hours of that notice. Refund costs fall on the seller.
Many complaints arise because the website promises "delivery in 3 to 7 days" while the courier contract allows longer. Align your terms, courier service levels and refund workflow with the Guideline limits, and record the handover time for every order so you can prove compliance.
Disclosure and terms of sale
Transparency is the second pillar of e-commerce law in Bangladesh. Customers must be able to see exactly what they are buying, from whom and on what terms.
- Seller details. Business name, address, contact method and registration numbers.
- Product information. Description, real photographs, size, weight, colour, origin, manufacturing and expiry dates where relevant, ingredients and quality certification.
- Price. The full price including VAT and delivery charges, with any discount or offer explained clearly.
- Stock. Accurate stock information; do not advertise items you cannot supply.
- Terms in Bangla. Return, replacement, refund, delivery method and delivery time terms must be stated clearly in Bangla, with other languages optional.
- Services. For services, the delivery method, technology used and provider qualifications.
Reviews and promotions
Platforms must allow genuine customer reviews and ratings. People connected with the business may not post reviews, and genuine reviews may not be deleted. Lotteries and prize draws need prior government permission, and cash alternatives such as wallets, gift cards and vouchers cannot be issued without Bangladesh Bank approval.
Prohibited products and business models
The Guideline bans certain trades outright on digital platforms:
- Multi-level marketing and network businesses.
- Narcotics, explosives and any goods or services whose sale is prohibited by law.
- Online betting and gambling.
- Medicines without the required drug licence.
- Counterfeit, adulterated or misbranded products, which also attract liability under consumer, trademark and food safety laws.
Selling counterfeit branded goods online also exposes the seller to trademark infringement claims. We explain brand protection in our guide to trademark registration in Bangladesh.
Online contracts and electronic evidence
Every online order is a contract, which is why contract law is the foundation of e-commerce law in Bangladesh. Under the Contract Act 1872, a contract is formed when the customer's offer is accepted, and the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 gives legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures. Click-to-accept terms are therefore enforceable in principle, provided the customer had a fair chance to read them before ordering.
The Sale of Goods Act 1930 implies conditions that goods match their description and, in many cases, are of merchantable quality. Online sellers cannot contract out of these protections in ways that conflict with consumer law, and the Guideline itself bars terms that contradict Bangladeshi law.
Keeping records that stand up
Disputes are decided on records: order confirmations, payment logs, courier handover scans, chat histories and delivery receipts. The Evidence Act 1872, as amended in 2022, makes provision for digital records as evidence. Under e-commerce law in Bangladesh, sellers who keep time-stamped, unaltered records of each step are far better placed in a DNCRP hearing or court case than those relying on memory.
Store terms of sale as they stood on the date of each order. If you change your return policy, the old version still governs earlier orders, and you will need to prove what it said.
Payments, escrow and mobile financial services
Under e-commerce law in Bangladesh, payments are regulated by Bangladesh Bank, not the Ministry of Commerce. Online sellers should accept payments only through licensed payment gateways, banks and mobile financial service providers, and should keep cash-on-delivery records as carefully as card payments.
Bangladesh Bank introduced an escrow mechanism for e-commerce payments after the marketplace failures of 2021. Under escrow, the customer's payment is held by the payment service provider and released to the seller only after the customer confirms delivery. Bangladesh Bank's merchant acquiring and escrow rules govern how this works and who may offer it.
Funds trapped in gateways from failed platforms illustrate why the system matters. In August 2026 the Commerce Minister reported that about Tk 472 crore had been refunded to customers from roughly Tk 531 crore held in payment gateways, with efforts continuing for the rest.
Cross-border payments
Foreign currency payments, card acceptance from abroad and export receipts for digital sales follow Bangladesh Bank's foreign exchange rules. The draft Cross-Border Digital Commerce Policy 2026 proposes a cross-border escrow service and treating digital export earnings as conventional export receipts.
Consumer complaints and enforcement
When e-commerce law in Bangladesh is breached, customers can complain to the DNCRP under the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, which allows the Directorate to impose administrative fines and refer criminal matters. The Directorate also coordinates refunds from failed platforms with the Ministry of Commerce and Bangladesh Bank. In August 2026 the Commerce Minister reported 58,720 complaints against e-commerce platforms, mostly linked to the marketplace collapses.
The Guideline requires every digital commerce business to run a complaint system, publish a contact method and appoint a compliance officer who coordinates with the Directorate. Complaints must be recorded and the outcome communicated to the customer within 72 hours.
Sanctions for sellers
Possible consequences include DNCRP fines, cancellation of trade licence, VAT registration or company registration, closure of the marketplace, civil claims and criminal prosecution where fraud is involved. Directors and promoters of failed platforms have faced criminal cases and asset freezes. Good compliance records are the best defence against enforcement under e-commerce law in Bangladesh.
Discount-driven growth funded by customer advances is exactly the model the Guideline was written to stop. If your cash flow depends on taking payment long before you can deliver, restructure it through escrow or pre-order terms that comply with the 10% cap.
Data protection, cyber security and advertising
Online businesses collect personal data on every order, and privacy is now a core part of e-commerce law in Bangladesh. The Guideline already requires sellers to disclose cookies, explain what data they collect, where it is stored and how it is used, and obtain consent before collection.
The wider legal position changed in 2025 and 2026. A Personal Data Protection Ordinance was made in 2025, and Parliament passed a new cyber security law in April 2026. Whether the data protection ordinance has since been re-enacted should be checked before finalising privacy policies. Our data protection practice advises on privacy notices and data handling.
Digital advertising
Misleading advertisements breach consumer law. The draft 2026 cross-border policy also proposes that foreign platforms obtain a DBID before running ads targeting Bangladeshi consumers, and it bans advertising of counterfeit or prohibited products.
What is changing in 2026
Three developments matter for anyone planning around e-commerce law in Bangladesh over the next year.
- Cross-border policy. The Ministry of Commerce published a draft Cross-Border Digital Commerce Policy 2026 for comment until 6 August 2026. It proposes DBID registration and a registered local presence for foreign platforms, VAT and income tax compliance, a ban on cross-border gambling and unauthorised digital vouchers, a central logistics tracking platform and alternative dispute resolution for cross-border disputes.
- A dedicated regulator. A Digital Commerce Regulatory Authority has been planned for years but was not yet established as of August 2026.
- Stronger consumer law. An amendment to give the DNCRP more power was under consideration, but not enacted, as of August 2026.
Until these become law, e-commerce law in Bangladesh continues to rest on the 2021 Guideline, the Consumer Rights Protection Act and the general statutes.
A compliance checklist for online sellers
This checklist turns the main requirements of e-commerce law in Bangladesh into practical steps for a new or growing online business.
- Register the business. Incorporate or register, obtain a trade licence, TIN and VAT registration as applicable, and apply for a DBID.
- Check sector licences. Confirm whether your products need drug, food, BSTI or other approvals.
- Publish terms in Bangla. Cover price, delivery time, returns, replacement and refunds in clear Bangla on every storefront.
- Fix payments. Use licensed gateways, apply the 10% advance cap for out-of-stock goods or use escrow.
- Align logistics. Contract couriers to meet the 48-hour handover and 5 or 10 day delivery limits, and log every handover.
- Run complaints properly. Appoint a compliance officer, record complaints and respond within 72 hours.
- Protect data. Publish a privacy notice, obtain consent and secure customer data.
Frequently asked questions about e-commerce law in Bangladesh
Do Facebook page sellers need to follow the Guideline?
Yes. E-commerce law in Bangladesh, including the Guideline, covers digital commerce through any channel, including social media pages. Small sellers should hold a trade licence or other identifier, display it and follow the delivery, refund and disclosure rules.
How long does an online seller have to deliver?
After full payment, the seller must hand goods to the courier within 48 hours and deliver within 5 days in the same city or area, or 10 days to a different city or village.
When must a refund be paid?
If advance payment was made and delivery fails, a full refund is due within 10 days through the original payment method. If supply becomes impossible, the buyer must be told within 48 hours and refunded within 72 hours of that notice.
What is a DBID and who issues it?
A Digital Business Identity is a registration for online businesses introduced under 2022 guidelines and issued by RJSC. It identifies who operates a digital business.
Can foreign platforms sell to Bangladeshi customers?
Yes, but foreign digital commerce businesses must register and obtain required permissions, and foreign digital service providers have VAT obligations. The draft 2026 cross-border policy would add DBID registration and a local presence requirement.
Where can customers complain?
Customers can complain to the seller's complaint system first, and then to the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection under the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, or pursue court remedies.
How we can help
We advise marketplaces, brands, start-ups and foreign platforms on e-commerce law in Bangladesh: structuring and registration, DBID and sector licences, Bangla terms of sale, payment and escrow arrangements, privacy policies, consumer complaints and regulatory investigations. Learn more about our technology and digital practice.
Launching or scaling an online business?
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Book a consultationTechnology practicePrimary sources: the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 and Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 on the Laws of Bangladesh portal; digital commerce policy and guidelines from the Ministry of Commerce; consumer complaints through the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection; payment rules from Bangladesh Bank.
This article is general information about Bangladeshi law as of 2026 and is not legal advice. Guidelines, policies and procedures change; confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or a qualified lawyer before acting.
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