Foreign digital firms must get DBID to run ads, sell products in BD

Foreign digital platforms and businesses such as Facebook, YouTube and Google will not be allowed to run new online advertisements in Bangladesh without registering for a Digital Business Identification (DBID), according to a draft policy prepared by the Ministry of Commerce.

Foreign digital commerce companies seeking to sell products or services in Bangladesh will also be required to obtain DBID registration and strictly comply with the country's existing VAT, income tax and other relevant laws.

The Ministry of Commerce has published the full draft of the ‘Cross-Border Digital Commerce Policy, 2026’ on its official website and invited specific comments from stakeholders and the general public by August 6.

Officials said the final draft would be sent to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs after reviewing the feedback.

Officials responsible for the policy formulation said Bangladesh's digital advertising market has been expanding rapidly, but the absence of a specific and comprehensive policy framework has been depriving the government of substantial revenue.

They said the draft has been prepared to establish an integrated and updated policy framework for the sector and that it would be finalised after considering constructive suggestions from stakeholders.

A few years ago, international digital giants such as Meta, Google, Amazon and Netflix formally obtained VAT registration in Bangladesh and began filing VAT returns and paying taxes through representatives or consultancy firms.

The draft policy clearly states that foreign digital commerce companies must obtain DBID registration before conducting any kind of commercial activity in Bangladesh.

Institutional registration will be mandatory particularly for online retail sales through social media and other forms of digital commerce. Alongside registration, the companies will have to strictly comply with existing VAT, income tax and other tax-related laws.


However, after completing the registration process, they will be allowed to advertise specific legally imported products or services online in compliance with existing laws. Existing government policies and regulations will also have to be strictly followed in advertising through social media and over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

The draft also proposes special policy support for the country's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to expand their exports globally through digital channels. It recommends providing full facilities for parcel-based modern exports and introducing appropriate insurance coverage.

It also proposes considering special financial incentives for international export earnings generated through digital channels, giving them full recognition as conventional export earnings.

The draft further recommends policy support for developing rapid processing centres at home and abroad and world-class warehousing infrastructure.

The proposed policy seeks to completely prohibit the sale of counterfeit, adulterated and fraudulent products through digital platforms. It also calls for preventing all forms of unethical online gambling, lotteries and betting, as well as digital commerce involving products or services strictly prohibited under the country's import and export policies.

The policy would also prohibit attractive but misleading advertisements that could disrupt the stability and discipline of the domestic digital market or deceive and mislead consumers.

It also emphasises expanding opportunities for international digital imports under business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C) and B2B2C models.

For direct online imports, the draft proposes quick coordination with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to rationally redefine or reconsider the existing value threshold.

It also calls for following internationally recognised procedures for returning or re-exporting imported products that are found to be defective.

To make international monetary transactions easier and safer, the draft proposes establishing technological connectivity between Bangladesh's existing digital payment infrastructure and global payment networks.

It also recommends introducing a cross-border escrow service to ensure transparency in online transactions.

Bangladesh Bank, the country's central bank, will take necessary measures to facilitate the rapid repatriation of export earnings by registered businesses and simplify the payment process for import expenses, according to the draft.

The proposed policy also includes several stringent provisions to protect consumer rights.

Sellers will be required to provide customers with clear and accurate information before purchase about after-sales services, refunds, product returns, warranties and guarantees.

If a product does not match its displayed description or is found to be defective or counterfeit, the seller must immediately take it back and promptly provide a full refund to the customer.

The draft also proposes further modernising the digital complaint and service delivery system of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to ensure the speedy resolution of digital commerce-related disputes.

For resolving disputes related to international transactions, the draft policy specifically proposes introducing an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.