Princh Mondal Olif, Bagerhat District Correspondent:
Fifteen Bangladeshi job seekers have allegedly fallen victim to a recruitment scam after paying a total of around Tk 3.2 million in hopes of securing jobs in Serbia. The allegations have been raised against Md. Siddiqur Rahman, a recruiting agent from Tungipara in Gopalganj.
According to the victims, they were promised well-paid jobs in Serbia and paid between Tk 280,000 and Tk 320,000 each. However, even after nearly a year, most of them have not been sent abroad.
The victims further alleged that four of them were eventually provided with Serbian visas, but the visas were later declared fake following government verification.
They claimed to possess several pieces of evidence, including stamped agreements bearing Siddiqur Rahman's signature, written commitments to refund the money, bank cheques, visa documents and multiple video recordings of statements allegedly made by him.
Tk 3.2 Million Collected from 15 People
According to information provided by the victims, Siddiqur Rahman allegedly collected around Tk 3.2 million from 15 people.
Some reportedly paid the money in cash, while others paid in installments. The victims said they arranged the money by selling land, mortgaging fish farms and taking loans from NGOs and individuals at high interest rates.
They had hoped to work abroad and improve the financial condition of their families. Instead, they are now struggling with debt after failing to travel to Serbia.
Written Promise to Provide Visas or Refund Money
The victims said they repeatedly demanded their money back after waiting for a long time without receiving visas.
According to them, Siddiqur Rahman subsequently signed three Tk 100 stamp papers and allegedly promised to provide the visas within one week. He also reportedly agreed to refund the money if he failed to arrange the visas.
The stamp paper numbers cited by the victims are Gg 6990862, Gg 6990863 and Gg 6990864.
They also alleged that he provided undated cheques from Agrani Bank's Banani Corporate Branch as security for the refund. The account number is 0200000634953, while the cheque numbers are CDA 4134132 and CDA 4134154.
Four Visas Allegedly Declared Fake
Four individuals were reportedly issued Serbian visas. The victims said the documents were later verified by the relevant government authorities and declared fake.
The visa numbers provided by the victims are:
Md. Ayub Ali Sheikh — A0894749
Md. Faruk Hossain — A0894762
Md. Sohag Sardar — A0894762
Md. Yunus Sheikh — A0894764
Threat Allegations
The victims also alleged that they faced intimidation when they demanded the return of their money. Some claimed they were threatened with death.
They have urged the authorities to investigate the allegations, recover their money and identify whether any larger network is involved in deceiving people in the name of overseas employment.
The victims said the stamped agreements, bank cheques, visa documents, government verification papers and video footage could be important evidence in the investigation.
Where Did the Tk 3.2 Million Go?
For the 15 families, going abroad was seen as a chance to change their financial circumstances. After paying around Tk 3.2 million, however, they say they are now left with mounting debts, uncertainty and little hope of recovering their money.
Attempts were made to contact Md. Siddiqur Rahman by phone for his response to the allegations, but he did not answer the calls. Efforts to obtain a statement from Md. Dabir Talukder, who was also allegedly involved in connecting job seekers with Siddiqur Rahman, were unsuccessful as he could not be reached.
The victims are demanding a proper investigation and legal action if the allegations are substantiated.
News Published By:
Bangladesh Diary
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