All e-commerce businesses will have to register with the commerce ministry within the next two months.

Besides, they will have to deposit a security amount in Bangladesh Bank.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave the directives at a cabinet meeting yesterday. She joined the meeting, held at the Secretariat, from the Gono Bhaban virtually.

The directives came against the backdrop of alleged forgery and misappropriation of clients' money by some e-commerce firms, including Evaly.

After the anomalies came to light, the government acted to address the issue.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said, "E-commerce businesses will have to register with the commerce ministry within the next two months under a precise programme."

Besides, they will have to deposit a security amount in Bangladesh Bank so that clients can be paid from it if anything happens, he said.

"Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit and the intelligence agencies have been given clear instructions to check the characteristics of those firms."

Directives have also been given to conduct mass campaigns to make people aware of not making any transactions with unauthoriesd e-commerce companies, the cabinet secretary said, adding that the list of registered e-commerce firms will be published.

The government will not take any responsibility if anyone make transactions with unregistered e-commerce companies, Anwarul said.

Last week, the cabinet secretary said the government wants to bring e-commerce businesses under a strict monitoring and regulation system to stop fraudulence.

"E-commerce firms cannot be shut down. That's why all of them need to be brought under a monitoring and registration system. The [process for] monitoring and registration has been sorted out," he said.

ATTIA FOREST (CONSERVATION) ACT-2021

Yesterday, the cabinet approved in principle the draft of the Attia Forest (conservation) Act-2021.

Anwarul said the age-old Attia forest on about 45,000 acres of land in Tangail was declared a reserve forest during the British rule in 1927.

After the Liberation War, an ordinance was passed to save the forest, he said.

Admitting that many parts of the forest have been occupied, the cabinet secretary said the premier gave directives to carry out a digital survey on the forest immediately.

The land ministry in cooperation with the forest department and deputy commissioners concerned will conduct the survey and find out which parts of the forest have been grabbed.

"We have to admit that many people live there," he said, adding that the inhabitants cannot be evicted overnight.

Hasina gave directives to find a solution to the residency problem of the people who have been living there for ages without damaging the forest.

Replying to a question, Anwarul said, "It cannot be said how many people live in the forest area without conducting a survey. That's why directives have been given to carry out a survey."

About a huge backlog of cases regarding crimes related to forests, the cabinet secretary said the PM gave clear instructions about reviewing those cases and withdrawing the ones having no basis.

The law ministry will review the cases, but the procedures in those of serious nature will continue, he said.

Anwarul said surveys will be carried out not only on the Attia forest, but also on others.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

The cabinet yesterday also approved 22 public holidays for the next year. Six of those holidays will fall on weekends.

In 2022, there will be 14 general holidays and three of them coincided with weekends, said the cabinet secretary.

Besides general holidays, eight holidays will be observed upon executive orders.