bKash suspends payment services with Evaly, 9 other merchants

bKash has suspended its payment gateway service with 10 online merchants, including Evaly, citing protection of customers' interest.

The other merchants are Alesha Mart, Dhamaka Shopping, E-orange, Sirajgonj Shop, Aladiner prodip, Qcoom, Boom Boom, Adyan Mart and Needs.

According to an official statement published on bKash's website on Saturday, bKash stated that the company will resume transactions with the following companies when the payment system with these companies will be implemented in compliance with the regulatory guidelines issued by Bangladesh Bank.

"We are working closely to implement regulatory guidelines of the payment system for e-commerce. In the meantime, to protect customers' interests, the payment gateway service of bKash has been temporarily suspended for a few merchants. When the payment system is implemented in compliance with the regulatory guidelines, bKash payment service will be launched again," said Shamsuddin Haider Dalim, Head of Corporate Communications at bKash Ltd.

On 22 June, The Business Standard ran a report on Evaly and some other e-commerce sites. After that, several banks suspended card transactions with the 10 companies.

According to an inspection report of Bangladesh Bank, Evaly's liabilities to customers and merchants have risen to Tk403.80 crore, while its current asset is only Tk65.17 crore.

The report said till 14 March this year, Evaly did not deliver products against a cumulative sum of Tk213.94 crore in advance payments from customers. 

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Earlier this month commerce ministry instructed the home ministry to file a case against Evaly for allegedly embezzling payments taken in advance from customers and owed to merchants. 

Later on 9 July, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) banned the top officials of Evaly -  Chairman Shamima Nasrin and Managing Director (MD) Mohammad Rassel - from leaving the country as part of an investigation into allegations of embezzlement and smuggling of Tk 338.62 crore.

On 17 July, a Dhaka court barred Evaly's chairman and managing director from travelling abroad.

Meanwhile, various popular brands, including Trendz, Rang Bangladesh, Artisan Outfitters, Fit Elegance, Rio International, decided not to allow the redeeming of Evaly's gift vouchers on account of not getting payments from the e-commerce company.