Bank Customers Protest After Cashier Allegedly Flees With Tk 1 Crore in Deposits

Anxious customers surrounded an Al-Arafah Islami Bank outlet in Kalapara, Patuakhali, Bangladesh, after discovering their deposits were missing from their accounts. The protest erupted amid allegations that a cashier, Riyadul Islam, disappeared with nearly Tk 1 crore (approximately $85,000 USD) belonging to clients.

Customers arrived at the Pakhimara branch with deposit documents, seeking explanations. Many found their account balances drastically reduced or entirely gone. Mosammat Tanzia reported her account, which held Tk 438,000, now only contained Tk 1,553. Another customer alleged a Tk 5.50 lakh fixed deposit was not reflected in bank records, with documents appearing forged.

The outlet's local agent, Mustafizur Rahman Aiyub, stated that the exact amount taken is still under investigation and that the branch's master account is also empty. He assured affected customers that a list was being prepared and their deposited money would be returned. The missing cashier's father confirmed his son has been unreachable since Thursday. Kalapara Police Station has yet to receive a formal complaint regarding the incident.

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We are investigating the matter. The outlet's master account has also been found empty. We are collecting information and documents from customers.