Shariatpur:Police have detained two key figures from the Angaria Small Business Cooperative Society Limited on allegations of embezzling Tk 20 crore from nearly 10,000 customers in Shariatpur. The detainees include the society's president, Akhtar-uz-Zaman Swapan Howlader, and manager, Kakoli Akter.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the arrests followed a protest rally and human chain organized by affected customers at Bagchi Bazar in Angaria. The customers demanded the return of their deposits, alleging that the society ceased paying returns on deposits in August 2020 and failed to refund their money despite repeated promises.
The society had attracted deposits by offering returns higher than those from banks and other financial institutions, the customers claimed. Swapan Howlader, however, insisted that the society was in the process of gradually returning the customers' money and attributed the issue to former employees.
Officer-in-Charge Md Shah Alam of Palang Model Police Station stated that legal action would be pursued following a thorough investigation into the matter.