Staff Reporter :
The government has served notice on four e-commerce platforms as to why legal action would not be taken against it to protect the interest of consumers and merchants.
Commerce ministry sent the notice to the companies-Thole, Dalal Plus, Anonder Bazar and All-Shopper-on Thursday, as authorities continue their crackdown on fraudulent online businesses that have already swindled billions from customers.
The ministry also sought details of the companies’ debt and assets, Md Saeed Ali, an official of the Central Digital Commerce Cell told the media.
He said the companies have been asked to send their reply by October 17.
The platforms accused of luring customers in with deceptive schemes like Evaly, Eorange, Qcoom, Dhamaka and Aladiner Prodip.
When asked, Ali said, “These e-commerce platforms could not be escaped with the customers’ money as their bank accounts have already been frozen,”
Meanwhile, members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police arrested six officials of Tholay.com and WeCoom.com on the charge of embezzlement of Tk 2.5 crore. The arrestees were identified as Head of Operations Nazrul Islam, the company’s account officer. Sohail Hossain (28), Digital Communication Officer. Tareq Mahmud Anik (26), Sales Executive Officer Sajjad Hossain alias Piyas (26), Call Center Executive Officer Munna Parvez (26) and Supervisor Md. Masum Hasan (26).
Imam Hossain, Additional Deputy Inspector General of CID, confirmed the matter to media at CID headquarters on Monday.
They were detained after a customer lodged a complaint with the police against the two e-commerce platforms on the charge of fraud, said additional DIG.
CID officials said the victims were attracted to the advertisement and paid the money on the condition of delivering the product within 30 days. But after paying the money, they did not deliver the product within the stipulated time.
In another development, Ahmudul Haque Khandker, the founder of Anonder Bazar, was sued for cheating customers. Police say they are trying to arrest him, but the man has so far remained beyond the reach of authorities while criticising the Bangladesh Bank, police and journalists.
