NGO, private company cheat people

Officials of a fake non-government organisation (NGO) and a private company have disappeared overnight with a large amount of money by cheating poor people in Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari.

An NGO amassed Tk 3.43 crore from 2,400 poor women at 300 villages in three upazilas of Lalmonirhat in the name of giving sewing machines, reports our correspondent.

The NGO called 'Nari Unnayan Prokalpo' opened its three branches in three upazilas on December 7 last year.

Thirty-five trainers, whose monthly salary was Tk 5 thousand each, were recruited at each branch to give the female members training on handicraft.

Morsheda Begum, 28, of Aditmari upazila, said she became a member by giving Tk 1430 to the NGO in January this year.

“The NGO officials promised me that they will give me sewing machine free of cost after giving six-month training on handicraft,” she said.

Trainer Nurjahan Begum in Kaliganj upazila said, they got their salaries for January and February but were unpaid for March to May. “We could not understand that the NGO was fake,” she said.

Noor Mohammad said the coordinator of the NGO S Alam rented his house at Tk 5 thousand per month but the rent for April and May was unpaid.

The NGO officials went into hiding locking the office on Friday night, he said.

Despite repeated calls, this correspondent could not reach S Alam for his comment on the issue as he did not receive the phone.

Meanwhile, staff of 'Bony investment management company Bangladesh Ltd' in Kishoreganj of Nilphamari went into hiding after collecting over Tk 12,000 each from several hundred stakeholders.

The officials went into hiding a month ago locking the office, reports our correspondent.