Agrani Bank officer's cattle farm built by embezzling Tk 4.38 crore
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
In Chattogram, an officer and a customer of an Agrani Bank branch have been arrested over an embezzlement of Tk 4.38 crore. The bank authorities allege that the officer, who was in charge of the vault, embezzled the money and used it to set up a cattle farm.
The accused officer is Kamrul Hossain, Cash-in-Charge of the Agrani Bank's Lal Dighi East Corporate Branch in the city. The other arrested individual is the bank's customer, Jafar Ullah Tanvir (25).
The bank authorities handed the two over to the police last Monday. The matter came to light the previous day when a discrepancy was found between the bank's cash account and the money kept in the vault.
The authorities allege that Kamrul placed Tk 100 or lower denomination notes inside bundles of Tk 1,000 notes and stole the huge amount of money in a cunning way. The bank found the vault fell short of Tk 4.38 crore. Kamrul then used that money, in collusion with Jafar, to build a cattle farm.
A case has been filed against them by Mostak Ahmed, the General Manager of that branch of Agrani Bank. In the complaint, he said that Kamrul was previously the in-charge of the vault, during which time he developed a relationship with Jafar.
When the discrepancy between the cash account and the vault was detected, Kamrul was interrogated. He failed to provide satisfactory answers and kept delaying the matter by saying he would reconcile the accounts. This confirmed the fraud to senior officials.
Last Monday, Kamrul was detained at the bank. Jafar was called in through a ruse. When the police arrived, they both confessed to transferring Tk 4.38 crore from the vault.
Quoting bank officials, Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, Inspector (Investigation) of Kotwali Police Station, told Agamir Somoy: "Kamrul took the money from the vault and gave it to Jafar. Using that money, Jafar set up a cattle farm named 'Israt Agro' in the North Burishchar area of Hathazari Upazila. There are about 60 cows there."
Preliminary investigation has found evidence supporting this allegation. Both accused are currently in jail. The investigation into the case is ongoing, Inspector Iqbal Hossain added.
