The Commerce Ministry has sent a letter to the central bank seeking information and financial details of bank transactions of nine digital commerce companies.
The nine companies are Dhamaka, E-Orange, Sirajganj Shop, Aladdin's Lamp, Kyukum, Boom Boom, Adian Mart, Need.com.bd and Alesha Mart.
There are allegations against the digital commerce companies for charging customers in advance. At the same time, there are allegations from merchants that they do not pay for the products, said the letter from the Commerce Ministry's Central Digital Commerce Cell on Tuesday.
According to the letter, in order to determine the next course of action, it is necessary to know the latest financial condition of the companies, the amount of total liability to the buyers and merchants.
It is also said the amount of working and fixed capital of the institutions also needs to be known. The letter also said that it is necessary to know if the companies have moved any money anywhere. However, the Commerce Ministry did not set a deadline for the central bank to provide the information.
Earlier, Bangladesh Bank had prepared a report on Evaly in June in response to a letter from the Commerce Ministry. According to a report by Bangladesh Bank, Evaly's debt to customers and merchants is Tk 403 crore, and the company's current assets are Tk 65 crore.
According to the report, till March 14, Evaly did not deliver the goods with an advance of Tk 214 crore from the customers. The company owes Tk 190 crore to the merchants.
Meanwhile, a case has been filed against the owner of e-Orange for embezzling Tk 1,100 crore last August for not returning the goods or money even with advance money. A customer named Taherul Islam filed the case with Gulshan police station. Among the accused in the case are Sonia Mehzabin, the original owner of E-Orange, and her husband Masukur Rahman, and Amanullah Chowdhury, the chief operating officer.
