The e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh or e-CAB has proposed including e-commerce and online shopping in the Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) so as to advance the digital transformation of businesses in the country.

As per media reports, e-CAB President Shomi Kaiser made the proposal during a pre-budget discussion for the 2021-22 fiscal year with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on 4 March (Thursday) even as the organisation, reportedly, underlined that online entrepreneurs collect products from micro manufacturers and suppliers in most cases and they are not subject to VAT registration, while adding that digital business will be evident if the businesses are digitally transformed while also going on to add that in this way, e-commerce will be considered a new business sector, explaining the rationale and motive behind proposal.

The e-CAB also, reportedly, made 15 more proposals including defining e-commerce under Income Tax Ordinance 1984 in the discussion with the NBR, which was presided over by NBR Chairman Abu Hena Rahmatul Munim and attended by several leaders of the e-CAB.