The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has requested the commerce ministry to appoint audit firms to conduct financial audits into nine controversial e-commerce companies.

The companies are Alesha Mart, Dhamaka, E-orange, Sirajganj Shop, Aladiner Prodip, Qcoom, BoomBoom, Adyan Mart and Need.com.bd.

Hafizur Rahman, additional secretary to the commerce ministry, confirmed the news to The Business Standard on Monday night.

"The ministry will hold a high-level meeting in this regard on Tuesday and a final decision will be taken about Evaly," Hafizur Rahman added.

The audit firms will be authorised to look into the financial statements of the nine companies as complaints have recently been mounted against those firms regarding anomalies in product delivery. 

Earlier on 24 August, the commerce ministry sent a letter to the central bank, seeking information on the latest financial situation of the aforesaid nine e-commerce companies.

In the letter, the ministry sought information on the total liabilities of the companies to the buyers and merchants and the amount of current and fixed capital of the companies. It also sought to know whether the companies had transferred money elsewhere.

There are allegations against these companies of not delivering goods after taking advance payment from the buyers and of not paying the arrears even after purchasing the goods from the merchants.

Evaly, another controversial e-commerce platform, has also been accused of not delivering the product after taking money from customers in advance. Bangladesh Bank has collected information of 10 bank accounts of the company during inspection.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police is also investigating the money laundering allegations against the companies.