Madaripur loan victims demand probe into co-operative society
Photo: Agamir Somoy
More than 100 clients in Shibchar, Madaripur, alleged that Gono Unnayan Multipurpose Co-operative Society turned loans into a death trap by collecting excessive money, charging compound interest, taking blank checks, and suing clients even after repayment.
Demanding a thorough investigation, the withdrawal of harassing lawsuits, and an immediate stop to extra money collection, clients began a hunger strike. The protest started on Wednesday in front of the Shibchar Upazila Parishad, drawing around 100 male and female victims who recounted their financial distress, lawsuits, and ongoing harassment.
The victims alleged that they initially took loans from the co-operative society to cope with household poverty. Although they made regular installment payments, any minor delay in one or two installments prompted the society to impose extra monetary pressure and then file lawsuits demanding several times more money than the principal loan amount.
Several clients revealed that the society required signed bank checks - which they describe as blank checks - as collateral during loan issuance. Despite repaying the loans, the organization refused to return the checks, leaving borrowers in constant panic that the organization could use these checks to entangle them in future legal complications and lawsuits.
Hasan Mridha, a resident of Kathalbari Union in Shibchar, shared that he borrowed Tk 2,00,000 from the society in 2021 to travel abroad. Although he fully repaid the loan, the organization claims in 2026 that he still owes them money.
Another victim participating in the hunger strike expressed her agony, “Gono Unnayan has ruined us. I now wander the streets. My wife and children have left. Worried about the loan, my mother is sick and groaning in the hospital.”
Victims added that the founder of the society, Abul Hashem Miah, operated the organization using political influence during the previous Awami League government. Loans that borrowers originally secured during poverty as a lifeline to sustain their households have now transformed into severe danger, leaving families financially destitute under the weight of lawsuits, installment pressures, and extra money demands.
The hunger strikers emphasized that long-standing grievances against the society include compound interest rates, securing blank checks against loans, and filing lawsuits demanding amounts several times higher than the principal loan. Even slight delays in loan repayment trigger immediate lawsuits, subjecting many clients to police harassment and leaving some clients currently behind bars in jail.
Victims noted that families live in constant fear, and those unable to pay the demanded extra money after a lawsuit face severe obstacles in securing bail.
Upon learning about the hunger strike, Shibchar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) HM Ibne Mizan arrived at the Shibchar Upazila Parishad premises to talk with the protesters and hear their grievances.
He directed all victims to submit their complaints in writing to the upazila administration, promising necessary initiatives to resolve the crisis quickly through discussions with the upazila co-operative officer and relevant parties.
Madaripur-1 (Shibchar) MP Pirzada Sayed Uddin Ahmad Hanjala visited the spot, listened to the victims, and assured them of proper measures to solve the problem. He would instruct the Police Super (SP) and the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the police station to ensure that victims face no harassment or arrest prior to the scheduled investigation on the 15th.
Rejecting the allegations, Gono Unnayan Multipurpose Co-operative Society Managing Director Abul Hashem Miah claimed that most allegations are false. He said, “If someone takes money and doesn’t pay it back, then of course I will file a lawsuit. And as for how much money the lawyer filed the lawsuit for, I know nothing about that. The branch manager is the plaintiff in these cases.”
He added that lawsuits remain ongoing against around 100 clients, offering to attempt resolutions if clients visit the society office with specific complaints regarding irregularities.
The primary demands of the victims include a full investigation into the society’s loan activities, an immediate halt to lawsuits demanding extra money, the withdrawal of harassing and false lawsuits, an inquiry into the blank checks, and the protection of borrowers’ legal rights.
The victims stressed that they intend to repay the principal loan, but the organization must stop demanding unauthorized extra money and ending harassment through lawsuits. Meanwhile, the upazila administration reaffirmed that it will take steps to resolve the issue once it receives the written complaints.
