The Digital Commerce Cell (DCC) today asked Bangladesh Bank (BB) to start giving refunds of the money stuck in payment gateways since July 1 last year that was paid by the customers of Qcoom.

The decision of refunding of Tk 59.05 crore to the 6,721 consumers of the Qcoom was taken in a virtual meeting.

Government officials, the leaders of the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh and officials of the Qcoom were present at the meeting on January 11, said AHM Shafiquzzaman, chief of the DCC and additional secretary to the commerce ministry.

E-commerce platform Qcoom and payment gateway Foster Corporation jointly submitted a list of customers--who were owed Tk 59.05 crore in refunds--to the commerce ministry on January 10.

"After the scrutiny of the list of consumers provided by the Qcoom and Foster Corporation Ltd, we have decided to start payment of the money stuck in the payment gateway of the central bank," Shafiquzzaman also said.

The DCC has also sent a letter to the central bank in this regard today, he added.

The ministry on December 28 sought a complete list by January 10 as it looks to ensure that the refunds were given properly.

Some Tk 394 crore has remained stuck at payment gateways since July 2021 when the government stipulated that the platforms would get payments only after customers confirm that they have received the products.

Of Tk 394 crore, Tk 166 crore was owed to Qcoom customers.

A senior official of the BB said they had not received the DCC letter yet.

However, the BB will start giving refunds to the consumers upon instructions of the DCC soon, the official said, asking not to be named.