The New Nation - Internet Edition

Gafargaon Correspondent

A fake non-governmental organization (NGO) has fled away with over Tk 15 lakh (1.5 million) cheating hundreds of poor women in rural areas of Gafargaon under Mymensingh district.

Palli Pragati Shahayak Samity, a fake NGO has fled away with the amount taken from hundreds of poor women who deposited the money with the NGO for profit. As a result, the cheated depositors have been crowding at the office of Palli Pragati at Gafargaon everyday demanding return of their money.

It is learnt that some cheat workers of Palli Pragati set up an office at the residence of Abul Hashem, an office assistant of Gafargaon Islamia Government High School, at Women's College Road in the Gafargaon town about two months ago.

They put a signboard on their office building only three days before fleeing away although they carried out their activities over the last two months silently. They also gave a large sum of money as office rent to the owner Abul Hashem. Alluring to provide Tk 10,000 as loan if anyone deposited Tk 1,000 the workers of NGO Palli Pragati accepted Tk 15 lakh as deposits from more than 900 members of Dhamail, Shilashi, Jaleshwar and Kalaipara villages under the Gafargaon upazila with the help of some local people during the last two months. However, going to the office of Palli Pragati last week the depositors learnt that the workers of the NGO fled away locking their office.

When contacted, house owner Abul Hashem told The New Nation that the Palli Pragati Shahayak Samity, situated at Khilgaon in Dhaka hired his house as office through Habib, an employee of Nirapad Hotel in the Gafargaon municipal town.

On the other hand, a large number of cheated women members alleged that the cheat workers of the fake NGO, in connivance with Abul Hashem, had fled away with lakhs of taka cheating hundreds of poor women of the upazila.

They said many poor women of Shilashi and Dhamail villages became the members of the NGO at the advice of Abul Hashem. Scores of women, including Shampa, 22, wife of Mojibar Rahman, Kabita, 25, Begum, 45, Nasima, Aktar, 35, Nazma, 30, Shibli Aktar of village Shilashi handed over Tk 3,000 to Tk 5,000 each to the fake NGO workers selling all their belongings with the hope of alleviating poverty in their respective families. Utter frustration and uncertainty have now gripped these women as cheat workers of Palli Pragati Shahayak Samity have fled away with their money. Hundreds of cheated poor women have demanded exemplary punishment of these cheated workers and their accomplices.

Owner of the house Abul Hashem has lodged a case with Gafargaon police station in this connection.