Ministry seeks legal support for resumption of Qcoom business
FE Report | Sunday, 27 February 2022
The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has sought legal support from the law ministry for resumption of business activities of e-commerce platform Qcoom in line with the online shopping site's request, officials said.
The MoC has also requested the law ministry to take measures for the bail of Qcoom Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer Md Ripon Mia, they added.
On January 31, Qcoom's lawyer, on behalf of its MD, requested the MoC to to do the needful in this regard.
The MoC on Thursday solicited support from the Law and Justice Division under the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs following the Qcoom's request.
According to the Qcoom's previous letter, the e-commerce platform sought cooperation from the government as well as adequate security to run its business smoothly and thus contribute to the country's economic development.
Currently, the online shop's MD is being held in custody awaiting trial on charges of misappropriation of a large sum of customers' funds.
Over Tk 3.97 billion fund of the firm has remained stuck up with the payment gateway Foster Payments.
Besides, goods worth Tk 1.0 billion are currently in stock in two warehouses of Qcoom.
According to a report of the MoC official team, Qcoom is worried that the products are getting spoiled in the warehouses.
The commerce ministry team visited Qcoom's two warehouses and found a large number of products lying stockpiled there.
Qcoom said the bail of its MD is urgently required in order to resume the operation of its two offices and warehouses and that its blocked bank accounts should be unblocked, according to the letter.
Qcoom has already started reimbursing customers' funds that remained stuck with Foster Payments.
Initially, an estimated 6,721 clients of the company were listed for paying back Tk590 million, out of its over Tk 1.65 billion fund that remained stuck with Foster.
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