ACC Files Case Against Dutch Bangla Bank MD and Eight Others
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against nine individuals—including the Managing Director and several high-ranking officials of Dutch-Bangla Bank PLC—over the embezzlement of approximately Tk 9.5 million from around 50 customers of an agent branch in Khulna.
The accused are:
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Abul Kashem Md. Shirin, Managing Director & CEO, Dutch-Bangla Bank
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Md. Shahadat Hossain, Deputy Managing Director (Financial Inclusion)
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Farhad Mahmud, Head of Financial Inclusion Compliance Division
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Ahmed Aslam Al-Ferdous, Divisional Head, Agent Banking Department, Head Office
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AHM Kamruzzaman, former Regional Head, Khulna Agent Banking Office
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Ashraful Islam, former Area Manager
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Poly Khatun, Outlet Relation Officer of the agent branch
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SM Sohel Mahmud, owner of Mun Manha, the agent banking branch
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Abdul Hannan, Teller of the Arongghata Bazar agent branch
The case was filed on Monday, 17 November, at the ACC’s Khulna office by Assistant Director Rakibul Islam of the ACC’s Integrated District Office in Khulna.
Assistant Director Rakibul Islam confirmed the information.
According to the case statement, under the Dutch Bangla Bank PLC Rocket and Agent Banking Office in Khulna, the Mun Manha agent branch collected Tk 11.7 million from 50 customers over time. Of that amount, Tk 9.497 million was not returned and was instead embezzled.
The complainant, Assistant Director Rakibul Islam, stated that the Mun Manha Agent Banking Branch in Arongghata Bazar began operations on 18 October 2018 as an authorized agent of Dutch-Bangla Bank. On 6 February 2023, the branch suddenly shut down, and agent SM Sohel Mahmud and others went into hiding.
During the inquiry, it was found that the bank formed an investigation committee regarding the embezzlement allegations. The probe revealed that, apart from the three directly accused individuals, the monitoring and supervision system of Khulna’s regional office was extremely weak. Despite this, the bank’s head office took no initiative to refund the defrauded poor customers of the Mun Manha agent branch, nor did it identify or take disciplinary action against those responsible.
According to Dutch-Bangla Bank’s 2022 policy, if any irregularities, fraud, or embezzlement occur through an agent, the bank is fully responsible for refunding the customers’ deposits. Despite this clear provision, the bank delayed refunding the poor customers. For this reason, a case has been filed with approval from the head office.
DBTech/KDP/IK/OR
