Gang held for cheating

Detectives yesterday arrested three Libyans and a Bangladeshi woman from a city hotel for their alleged cheating in manpower recruitment.
The arrestees are Libyans Samir Ahmed Omar Fardg, 36, Amara Mahmud Amara, 23, Maburk Fardg Saylem and Bangladeshi Priyanka Zaman, 22.
Law enforcers also seized 684 Bangladeshi passports, $1.81 lakh and Tk 10.66 lakh in cash from their possession.
Acting upon complaints that a group of people defrauded some jobseekers, members of Detective Branch (DB) arrested the four from Lakeshore Hotel in the capital's Gulshan.
The foreigners could not produce their travel documents and any proof of ownership of the seized money.
Briefing the press at the Media Centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Deputy Commissioner Mollah Nazrul Islam of the DB said the gang members introduced themselves as representatives of the Libyan government.
He claimed that the Libyans in connivance with a local gang swindled jobseekers of the money. The foreigners have siphoned money off the country.
Talking to this correspondent, arrestee Samir claimed that they have been working here as representatives of a manpower recruitment agency in Libya. Four local agencies help them attract jobseekers.
"People here contact the local agencies to complete visa formalities at the Libyan embassy. We work as mediators between the embassy and the agency in Libya," he added.
He claimed that staff of the local manpower agencies gave passports to them to submit those to the embassy for visa processing.
Another arrestee Priyanka claimed that she first got acquainted with Samir in a party seven months ago. Though she was in a romantic relationship with Samir, she had no idea about the occupation of the Libyans.
Police were yet to contact with the Libyan embassy to verify the claims of the arrestees.
Process was underway for lodging a case with Gulshan Police Station in this connection.