Invariant Telecom Bangladesh Limited, the company behind the e-commerce platform DhamakaShopping.com, is facing allegations from victims who have claimed that the company has bilked customers out of Tk 400 crore.
The victims raised the allegation at a press conference convened at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Wednesday morning.
During the briefing, they said, “The e-commerce platform in question owes an estimated Tk 400 crore o 500 entrepreneurs and 3,000 consumers.”
The victims demanded legal action against Invariant chairman Mujtaba Ali and managing director Jasimuddin Chishti with a call for the refund of the stolen money.
The victims claimed, “Dhamaka Shopping has stolen funds by using its influence over customers and suppliers. Some customers have lost millions, and business owners have gone bankrupt. Our demand is that Tk 400 crore be refunded.”
“We, the affected entrepreneurs and consumers, had been supplying goods and purchasing products from DhamakaShopping.com as per their instructions and agreements since December 2020.”
While deliveries and payments were generally fine until March 2021, from that point onward, although the products were delivered, merchants and sellers did not receive full dues as agreed. Even the customers who made advance payments for their products never received a refund.
The platform initially gained trust using a Tk 200-crore capital investment and the name of M Ali from Evercare Hospital.
However, after the payment stopped, the company’s management, including Sirajul Islam Rana, cut off communication with the victims, they claimed.
The victims also alleged that Ali had established his influence by associating himself with former ministers, including Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Hasan Mahmud.
It has been announced that an important ruling will be issued on July 10, 2025, by the High Court. The victims are hopeful that this ruling will help them recover their owed money and bring justice.
They have also called on commerce ministry, Bangladesh Bank and CID to increase scrutiny in the e-commerce sector to restore confidence.
Currently, Dhamaka is facing a Tk 116-crore money laundering case.
Ali is currently behind bars. However, Chishti has fled to the United States with his family.
Other officials, including Rana and Debakar Dey, are also facing legal cases.
The press conference was attended by Zahidul Islam, Mehedi, Shafiqul Islam, Nurul Amin, Zakaria and Hasmat Munshi, among others.