The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against nine individuals, including the Managing Director of Dutch-Bangla Bank (DBBL) PLC, for allegedly embezzling nearly Tk 95 lakh from 50 customers of an agent banking branch in Khulna.
The case was filed on Monday (17 November) by ACC Assistant Director Rakibul Islam at the commission’s integrated district office in Khulna. He confirmed the information on Tuesday.
The individuals named in the case are Abul Kashem, Managing Director of DBBL; Md Shirin, CEO of the bank; Md Sahadat Hossain, Deputy Managing Director (Financial Inclusion); Forhad Mahmud, Head of Financial Inclusion Compliance; Ahammad Aslam Al Ferdous, Head of Agent Banking Division, Head Office; A H M Kamruzzaman, former Regional Head, Khulna Agent Banking Office; Ashraful Islam, former Area Manager; Poly Khatun, Outlet Relation Officer; SM Sohel Mahmud, owner of Moon Manha agent branch; and Abdul Hannan, Teller, Arongghata Bazar Agent Branch.
According to the case statement, Moon Manha agent banking outlet under the DBBL Rocket & Agent Banking Office in Khulna received deposits amounting to Tk 1 crore 17 lakh from 50 customers. Of this, Tk 94 lakh 97 thousand was never returned and was instead syphoned off.
ACC’s complainant Rakibul Islam said the Moon Manha branch began operations on 18 October 2018 as an authorised DBBL agent in Arongghata Bazar. On 6 February 2023, the branch suddenly shut down, and the agent, S M Sohel Mahmud, and others went into hiding.
During the investigation, ACC found that DBBL’s internal inquiry also identified serious supervision and monitoring failures at the Khulna regional office.
Despite this, the bank’s head office did not take adequate measures to compensate the defrauded depositors or initiate disciplinary action against those responsible.
Rakibul Islam added that although DBBL’s Agent Banking Policy-2022 clearly states that the bank is liable to return customer deposits in cases of fraud or embezzlement by agents, no steps were taken to refund the poor victims. Consequently, the ACC sought head office approval and proceeded with legal action.
No arrests have been made so far in connection with the case, he confirmed.
SMS/NSA
