Focus Group Discussion on Policy Sandbox Opportunities to Enhance CMSMEs’ Access to Market

In order to facilitate Bangladesh’s capacity to avail technology in sustainable development, UNDESA, in partnership with A2I, launched the project, “Frontier Technology Policy Experimentation and Regulatory Sandboxes for Sustainable Development”. The project launched with virtual and physical workshops, held in June, where various private and public sector stakeholders were engaged to conceive regulatory sandboxes, in order to enhance the state of Cottage, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CMSMEs) in Bangladesh. As a result of the workshops, six regulatory sandboxes were conceptualized to facilitate CMSMEs in Bangladesh, across four core areas: access to finance, access to market, access to skills, and access to service. In order to create a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of each of the regulatory sandboxes ideated during the workshops, UN DESA planned to host a series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The second FGD in this series took place on 18th October, 2022, at the ICT Tower, where various public sector players, key e-commerce representatives and development partners gathered to discuss the viability of regulatory sandboxes for access to market.

The fundamental objective of the FGD was to examine possible solutions for policy experimentation and regulatory sandboxes to employ new technologies in the proposed areas related to SDG targets. By catalyzing detailed dialogue and extensive engagement among key stakeholders, the FGD aimed to contribute towards a comprehensive policy map for the implementation of regulatory sandboxes to enhance CMSMEs in Bangladesh.

The session began with welcome remarks from Vincenzo Aquaro, Chief, Digital Government Branch, Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), and Bijon Islam, CEO and Co-Founder, LightCastle Partners. The discussion, moderated by Rezwanul Haque Jami, Head of e-Commerce, a2i, engaged representatives from major e-commerce organizations, relevant public entities, development organizations, and regulatory bodies. Participants engaged in a lively discourse on  the implementation strategies for a regulatory sandbox launching an Open Network For Digital Commerce (ONDC) Model in Bangladesh.

Notable participants from the discussion included the Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation,  a financial institution founded  by the Government of Bangladesh, to provide finance and training for rural development, reaching nearly 16 Mn households. Ambareen Reza, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Foodpanda Bangladesh – the leading food delivery service in the country with over 3200 restaurants on its platform – and Sahab Uddin Shipon, Vice President of the E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (E-Cab) – an association with more than 1500 members across Bangladesh – were also present among participants. Representatives from Pickaboo – a fast-growing e-commerce platform for electronic appliances with 11 outlets across the country – and Daraz – an all-in-one e-commerce giant boasting nearly 20 million products on its platform – were also part of the discussion. The session was further graced by the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, UNDP and other significant e-commerce players such as: Pindhan, Shapno Choa Traders, Steadfast Courier Ltd; and Leisfita Ltd.

During the discussion, participants discussed the viability for the implementation of an open network protocol, through which a single digital entry point would serve to digitally onboard – and hence, increase the market reach of – small businesses. In particular, stakeholders aligned on whether the e-commerce industry had the financial and logistical capacities to support such an ONDC model, as well as how such a model would impact the nascent e-commerce market in Bangladesh. Policy considerations were also outlined, highlighting the importance of retaining free market characteristics in order to ensure that such a model does not  disrupt existing market players. The session ended with closing remarks from Rezwanul Haque Jami, with a summary of findings from the discussions and the way forward.