High Court seeks all Evaly documents

The High Court has ordered the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms to submit by Oct 12 all documents related to e-commerce firm Evaly, which is mired in allegations of fraud and embezzlement.

Staff Correspondent বিডিনিউজ টোয়েন্টিফোর ডটকমbdnews24.com
Published : 30 Sept 2021, 01:26 PM
Updated : 30 Sept 2021, 01:26 PM

Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar passed the order on Thursday after hearing a customer’s petition seeking liquidation of the digital commerce company and formation of a board of directors to take control of Evaly’s business and management before the liquidation.

On Sep 22, the High Court imposed a moratorium on any sale of Evaly’s assets, prohibiting the transfer of assets held by Evaly.

In addition to the moratorium, the court also asked the authorities why Evaly should not be liquidated as sought by the petition.

Evaly Limited, the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, the Directorate of National Consumers’ Rights Protection, Nagad, bKash, the Bangladesh Competition Commission, the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, Bangladesh Bank and the commerce secretary were ordered to respond to the rule.

The order also mentioned that their presence will be required when the court considers the formation of a board of directors to take control of Evaly’s business and management.

As the hearing resumed on Thursday, Sayed Mahsib Hossain, a lawyer for the petitioner, filed the plea seeking the formation of an interim board of directors with the Evaly owners behind bars.

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and the Ministry of Commerce sought additional time to respond to the rule on Evaly’s liquidation.

The Evaly customer ordered a washing machine at Tk 33,308 on Evaly’s mobile app. After the full payment on May 30 and May 31 through bKash and Nagad, Evaly issued an online receipt of the money, according to the writ petition.

The petitioner contacted Evaly when the company did not deliver the product or refund. As nearly four months have passed, Evaly only gave the customer assurance of delivery or refund.

The customer finally decided to move the court fearing that the issue will go out of control, said lawyer Mahsib.

Managing Director Mohammad Rassel and his wife Shamima Nasrin were arrested on Evaly Sept 16 over a case filed at Dhanmondi Police Station by a customer who alleged he was defrauded of Tk 310,000 and faced death threats when he attempted to complain to Rassel.

On Sept 17, another case was filed at Gulshan Police Station against 20 Evaly officials by a supplier who claimed he was due to be paid Tk 3.6 million.

Evaly, founded in 2018, has racked up a debt of Tk 5.43 billion to its suppliers and customers, according to a commerce ministry report.

After initial interrogations, RAB said that according to Rassel, Evaly’s actual debt status was way worse, towering above Tk 10 billion.