Digital platforms will create around five lakh jobs within the next one year and currently, there are about 2,000 web-based entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, said speakers at a virtual dialogue on Monday.
They laid emphasis on building digital infrastructure and formulating policies harmonious with the increasing pace of digital platform-based economy in the country.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) jointly organised the dialogue, titled 'Digtial Platform Economy'.
Syed Yusuf Sadat, a senior research fellow of CPD, presented the keynote speech at the event.
He said Bangladesh now owns 16 per cent of the world's online labour market and is now the world's second-largest online labour supplier.
Currently, there are 2,000 web-based entrepreneurs in Bangladesh and about 50,000 Facebook-based entrepreneurs and digital platforms will create around five lakh jobs within the next one year, he added.
The CPD research fellow stressed on formulating policies to regulate the increasing number of mobile apps.
Although a lot of mobile applications (apps) are coming into the market due to the expansion of the usage of internet and the popularity of smartphones, no proper policy has yet been formulated to regulate those apps, he said.
He also recommended ensuring product quality, timely service, efficient inventory management for e-shops, flexible return policy, overall transparency, for expansion of the economy.
Emphasising on the growing impact of digital platforms on the current economic progress of the country and the multifaceted challenges involved, CPD's Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun said, "We have to be prepared to take advantage of the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution."
“We can benefit from this sector by enhancing human resource efficiency, financial benefits and creating policies, she said, adding that digital platforms are playing an important role in entrepreneurship and consumer growth as well as job creation.
Felix Colbitz, the representative of FES Bangladesh, described the digital platform-based economy as a promising prospect.
M Asaduzzaman, former research director of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), said that there is a constant need for technological adaptation in this sector, hence trained and knowledgeable manpower is essential.
