Swindlers decamp with Tk 1cr of fortune seekers
Officials of a fake firm have gone into hiding after embezzling about Tk one crore from 27 young men in the name of sending them to the UK with work permit.
After the cheated young men filed a GD with Sylhet Kotwali police station in this connection on April 3, a team from police went to the office of the said firm 'Fa International' at 10/A Bihanga in Noyasarak area of the city two days ago, but found none.
The firm hired a small office at the address last year and published advertisements in local newspapers to attract people seeking job abroad, especially in UK.
Fuzayel Ahmed Salik, chairman of the firm, signed contract with some young men for sending them to the UK with work permit.
The firm received Tk 2 lakh to 3 lakh from each of the young men as 'processing charge' for sending them to the UK with work permit and gave money receipts for it.
As they failed to send anybody to the UK even three to four months after signing of the contracts, the people concerned asked for return of the 'advance money'. The firm authorities assured them of returning the money as soon as possible but later Fuzayel Ahmed, chairman of Fa International, Sabia Zaman, accounts officer, and Helal Ahmed, manager, went into hiding.
"I gave Tk 3 lakh in advance for going to the UK, but to no effect as yet. Seeing the office under lock and key and the mobile phones switched off, I went to company chairman Fuzayel's village house at Brahmangram of Kanaighat upazila two weeks ago. But his family members claimed having no link with Fuzayel for long," said Koyes Ahmed, a cheated job seeker.
Russel Miah and Gias Uddin Ahmed also told similar stories.
Despite repeated attempts during the last couple of days, this correspondent failed to reach Fuzayel's mobile phones and nobody received the land phones of 'Fa International'.
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