Two Agrani Bank officials ‘embezzle’ Tk22lakh to clear Tk10cr loan

Two officials at the head office of Agrani Bank have allegedly embezzled Tk 22 lakh from a mobile phone businessman by promising to help him secure a loan of Tk 10 crore.

They are Ashiki Mahamudi and Ahiduzzman Ahid.

The aggrieved businessman, who has a shop at the Bashundhara City mall in the capital, complained to the Bangladesh Bank on October 4 this year against the two bankers. He also sought help to get his money back.

He claimed he had given Tk 22 lakh as the two accused promised to help him borrow Tk 10 crore from the bank.

According to the complaint, the businessman deposited Tk 7 lakh in Ashiki’s bank account in three instalments between July and August in 2019. The pertinent bank statement was submitted along with the complaint.

Besides, he claimed he had given Tk 4 lakh to another official of the bank and Tk 11 lakh to various officials at different levels of the bank.

The complainant told The Business Post the whole process was handled by Ahiduzzaman. In 2019, he was trying to get a loan to expand his business. Then he got to know Ahiduzzaman through Suman, a tenant of the former.

In February 2020, a loan of Tk 2.5 crore was approved at the Press Club branch of Agrani Bank in the complainant’s name. But as he had some adjustments with other banks, the loan was not released.

Ahiduzzman promised that he would help the businessman clear the adjustments with other banks. But that did not happen.

Sudhir Saha, manager of Agrani Bank’s Press Club branch, told The Business Post he would not comment on the matter over phone and would like to discuss it in person.

The businessman said, “I was a good client, dealing with three private banks and a financial institution. Now I am unable to repay my loans in other banks because of this problem. I am in serious trouble.”

He said he had complained to Agrani Bank before taking the matter to the central bank. Based on the complaint, the bank also carried out an investigation. However, nothing happened to the accused due to collective bargaining agent (CBA) leaders’ intervention.

“The accused were only warned, but what will happen to me? I want my money back. I want strict action against them,” the victim told The Business Post.

He also lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Commission, but there was no result.

The two accused could not be reached for comments over phone.

Spokesperson for the central bank Abul Kalam Azad said the banking regulator had sent a letter to Agrani Bank in this regard.

The central bank will decide the next course of action after receiving a reply, he added.

Agrani Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Md Murshedul Kabir could not be reached for comments over phone.