TOB Report
A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced Evaly’s founding Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rassel, and his wife Shamima Nasrin, Chairperson of the controversial e-commerce platform, to three years of rigorous imprisonment in a fraud case involving a failed product delivery and a bounced cheque.
Metropolitan Magistrate Md Minhazur Rahman also fined each of them Tk 5,000. In default of payment, they will face an additional six months of simple imprisonment. As the couple is currently absconding, the court also issued both conviction and arrest warrants against them, court sources confirmed.
Earlier in January this year, the couple was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in a separate case filed over the embezzlement of Tk 14.10 lakh from a customer. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Partha Bhadra pronounced the verdict in their absence. He also fined them Tk 2,000, in default of which they will have to serve an additional two months in jail.
The latest case was filed in January 2024 by Mujahid Hasan Fahim, who alleged that Evaly had deceived him through misleading advertising. According to the case details, Evaly used flashy promotions across various platforms to market and sell products online.
On 20 February 2021, Fahim ordered a Yamaha R15 motorbike from the platform, paying the full amount upfront after being promised delivery within 45 days.
When the product was not delivered, Fahim contacted Evaly’s Dhanmondi office. The company issued him a cheque for Tk 500,000 but advised him not to deposit it on the due date due to insufficient funds.
Trusting their assurance, he refrained from depositing the cheque. However, despite repeated follow-ups and even a legal notice, no refund was provided. Fahim subsequently filed a fraud case.
This is not the first time the Evaly founders have faced legal consequences. Both Rassel and Shamima have been convicted in multiple fraud cases. Although they were released on bail after serving time in jail, they have since gone into hiding, evading further legal action.
