'Evaly owes customers Tk 3.11b'

E-commerce company Evaly has a liability of Tk 3.11 billion (311 crore) to its customers and it has 207,741 customers as of 15 July, the company said on Thursday.

The figures were disclosed after the Evaly submitted its second phase reply to a show-cause notice before the commerce ministry.

Thursday was the last day to submit the second phase reply to a show-cause notice served by the ministry.

Commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh told Prothom Alo over phone Evaly was instructed to reply to the show-cause notice in three phases and a reply arrived today, Thursday.

Evaly first submitted its details on assets and liabilities to the commerce ministry on 19 August and would file the last reply on the liabilities to merchants, and time-bound plan to pay liabilities to customers and merchants by 2 September.

In a one-page reply, Evaly said a customer places one or more order. Most of the customers received their products during the two-and-a-half years of operation of Evaly.

It said products of more than 7 million (70 lakh) orders have been successfully delivered and Evaly continues to maintain a trust of customers.

“Some customer didn’t receive product, and it was unexpected. However, if the company gets adequate time and congenial atmosphere, it will be able to deliver products against all purchase orders including those ones in six month. We expect a pioneering role of the commerce ministry in creating this atmosphere,” reads the reply.

Commerce ministry officials, however, said Evaly reportedly said a month ago they would deliver all products in four months. Now they said they would do so in six months. Evaly has apparently been trying to blame others.

Evaly managing director Mohammad Rassel couldn’t be reached for comment.