The New Nation - Internet Edition

Syful Islam

Allegations of harassing people, earning several crores of Taka illegally and cheating people claiming himself as representative of the embassy of Japan, are mounting against chairman of so-called Japan-Bangladesh Group Selim Prodhan in the offices of different law enforcing agencies.

His so-called business organisation Japan-Bangladesh Group is allegedly doing illegal banking business under a licence from the Department of Cooperative.

Sources alleged that Selim Prodhan now owns several crores of 'black money' belonging to several political leaders, members of Parliament and ministers of past governments.

A six-member police squad guards him round-the-clock despite he is not entitled to get such protection. Officials of a big industrial group alleged that Selim Prodhan threats people and realise money in the name of joint forces and sometimes physically abuse them to do so. People helplessly pay him money as police always guards him and work according to his directions.

Some vehicle shop owners alleged that Selim Prodhan often take cars from their showrooms but never pay the price. He threats the shop owners on the name of joint forces, if any of them ask him to pay the value of the cars.

Sources alleged that Selim Prodhan is cheating people claiming himself as representative of the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka. Recently he initiated a move to establish 'Japanese Club' in the city and asking established businessmen to be member of the so-called club. In this regard he is demanding handsome amount from the businessmen. Economic Affairs Counsellor of Japanese embassy in Dhaka Masami Tamura in a recent leter to a businessman informed that his Embassy is was not involved with such an initiative.

Last year Selim Prodhan brought four-member delegation of the African country Guinea comprising two ministers and two government officials in Dhaka. Now he is claiming himself to be the Consular General of Guinea in Bangladesh.

Selim Prodhan was not available to comment in this regard.

A previous report published in The New Nation last year mentioned that Japan-Bangladesh Group took several projects in the last few years involving some businessmen from Japan but none of those got off the ground.

Activities of the group drew the atention of people when it arranged several press conferences to organise Japan Bangladesh IT Expo-2006, a wrestling competition with participation of world renowned wrestlers, marketing of heat insulators, marketing of payroll and atendance system software, investment in jute, textile and bamboo sectors and establishment of a language-training academy.

Sources said despite exaggerated publicity of different programmes by the group, none of the projects took shape but to financially deceive some Japanese and Bangladeshi nationals by the group chairman Selim Prodhan.

According to the sources the Japan-Bangladesh Credit Cooperative Society, a subsidiary of the Japan-Bangladesh Group, located at Planners Tower in Sonargaon Road, is now doing banking business in full swing despite the absence of a proper banking licence.

The Group on August 24 in 2005 at a programme in Dhaka announced marketing of a software named 'Broadband Solution', on September 17 in 2005 at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club announced the marketing of 'Heat Insulator', on December 09 in 2005 at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club informed newsmen of holding a wrestling competition in Dhaka and Chitagong in February 2006, on January 22 in 2006 announced a three-day long Japan-Bangladesh IT Expo to be held in Hotel Sheraton.

However, none of the programmes took place as well as none of the products came to the market