Nagad employees ‘embezzle’ Tk2.41 crore from agents
Three employees of Nagad have been absconding since cases were filed against them
Highlights-
- 3 Nagad employees allegedly embezzled Tk2.41cr from 5 agents
- They pressured agents to increase transactions, allured them of higher commissions
- They provided customers' numbers to send money on credit
- DB financial unit arrested 8 members of the gang
- 2 gave confessional statements
- 3 masterminds absconded
Three employees of Nagad – a digital mobile banking service under Bangladesh Post Office – have allegedly embezzled Tk2.41 crore from five Nagad agents recently by pressuring them to increase transactions and alluring them of higher commissions.
The Nagad employees – Fakrul Islam, an area manager, Jahir Uddin Mohammad Babor and Tanvir, territory officers – used to request the agents to make transactions on credit, assuring that they would take the risk those transactions.
According to the Detective Branch (BD) of police, the gang has embezzled Tk20 lakh from Good Hand Wearing Mills, Tk55 lakh from Pearless, Tk1.6 crore from Cash-T Bangladesh, Tk25 lakh from BQ Trade and Tk35 lakh from Finex Distribution Limited.
The financial unit of the DB has already arrested eight members of the gang. However, three employees of Nagad, the masterminds, have been absconding since four cases were filed against them under the digital security act in this connection, said Mohidul Islam, an additional deputy commissioner at the DB.
One of the victims, Kamrul Asraf Rana, manager of Good Hand Wearing Mills, told The Business Standard that Fakrul Islam and Jahir Uddin Mohammad Babor pressured him to raise transactions. They used to provide customers' numbers for sending money.
"I transacted Tk10 lakh on July 22. Then I raised transactions gradually. They paid back in time. After I transacted Tk1 crore, I got Tk14,000 as profit from Nagad. One month later, I sent Tk20 lakh as per their instructions, but they did not pay back. At one stage, they stopped communicating with me," he said.
Another victim Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy sales manager at Finex Distribution Limited, said the gang had embezzled Tk35 from him. He is quite anxious about how he would get the money back.
According to the case statement, Fakrul Islam, Jahir Uddin Mohammad Babor and Tanvir built good relationships with several agents of Nagad and offered agents for more transactions on credit.
Edris Hassan Masum, a plaintiff of a case told The Business Standard, "The gang provided numbers through WhatsApp. I sent money to those numbers.
"To earn our trust, the gang used to pay back money within a short time. If I sent the money in the morning, I got it back in the evening. However, after two months of transactions, I did not get back Tk25 lakh. The gang has cheated on many agents like me."
Out of the eight arrestees, Md Al Amin and Md Monir have given their confessional statements.
Md Monir said he had recently bought a house in the capital's Keraniganj area for Tk20 lakh, although he gets a salary of Tk10,000 per month.
Al Amin, whose salary is Tk14,000 per month, has recently celebrated his child's birthday at an expensive hotel in Dhaka expending Tk3 lakh. He has also visited Cox's Bazar recently.
"The gang has taken the chance of unlimited transactions. Nagad should limit the number of transactions to prevent this type of crime," said Mohidul Islam.
When contacted, a spokesperson of Nagad said there is no option of a transaction on credit in Nagad. Violating the agreement, several agents have transacted illegally.
Nagad has already dismissed their contracts, he said, adding Nagad will provide all assistance to the law enforcement agencies to ensure appropriate punishment of officers involved.