The cabinet committee formed over e-commerce issues by the Commerce Ministry has sought the opinion of the Law and Justice Division for retrieving Tk 214 crore stuck in the payment gateways and returning it to the customers.

Additional Secretary of the ministry and coordinator of the committee AHM Shafiquzzaman said this to journalists after attending the third meeting of the committee held at the secretariat on Tuesday.

AHM Shafiquzzaman said letters had already been sent to the Public Security Division and Crime Investigation Department (CID) of police for returning the amount stuck in escrow or the gateway.

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In the meantime, the Cabinet Secretary held a meeting with CID, Bangladesh Bank and another involved to discuss the process of returning money, he said.

Following the meeting, legal opinion from the Law and Justice Division was sought as a huge amount is stuck due to pending cases.

Depending on the opinion, they might be able to return the amount which is out of legal issues, he said.

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Replying to a question the secretary said, “It is taking time to return the money because CID has freezed it.”