HC Forms a 4-Member Body to Steer Evaly

The High Court (HC) has formed a four-member committee headed by former Appellate Division Judge HM Samsuddin Chowdhury Manik to operate the e-commerce company Evaly.

The High Court bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar passed the order on Monday (October 18).

Retired Justice of the Appellate Division AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik will be the chairman of the board, the court said. Retired Secretary Mohammad Rezaul Ahsan (Local Government and Rural Development Department) will be among the three nominees from the Commerce Ministry. The board will have Fakhruddin Ahmed as chartered accountant and Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz as lawyer. Additional Secretary (OSD) Mahbubul Kabir will be the ex-officio managing director (MD) of the government payroll.

On October 12, Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam asked the High Court to form a committee to operate the e-commerce platform Evaly. The High Court was scheduled to issue an order in this regard last Wednesday. Later, the day of the order was postponed.

Meanwhile, all the documents of Evaly have been submitted to the High Court. The registrar of the Joint Stock Company submitted the documents to the High Court bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar on October 11.

Earlier on September 30, the High Court summoned all the documents of Evaly. The registrar of the Joint Stock Company was asked to submit all the documents to the court by October 11.

The High Court bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar passed the order following a ban on Evaly’s property. Lawyer Syed Mahsib Hossain was heard on behalf of the state.

On September 22, the High Court banned the sale and transfer of movable and immovable property of Evaly. At the same time, the court asked “why Evaly would not be terminated?” For this, a notice has been issued. Defendants were asked to respond to the notice by September 30. The court passed the order on the petition of an Evaly customer.

On that day, lawyer Syed Mahsib Hossain said a customer named Farhad Hossain ordered an electronics product in May from Evaly Online Shopping Mall, however, the company did not deliver him the product or returned the money at the scheduled time. “The customer did not get any remedy even after contacting Evaly, as a result, he approached the High Court and sought a termination of the company,” he added.

Following the hearing, the court admitted his petition. Besides, the order does not allow for the sale or transfer of any of Evaly’s assets. Later, the court issued a notice as to why Evaly would not be terminated.

Evaly Limited, Registrar Joint Stock Companies and Firms, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, Nagad, bKash, Bangladesh Competition Commission, E-Cab Association of Bangladesh, BASIS, Bangladesh Bank and Commerce Secretary have been made defendant in the defendant in the case.