They used to publish fake job advertisements in newspapers assuring the jobseekers of processing their visa applications to land jobs in Hong Kong. They would realise a handsome amount of money from jobseekers pretending that they were doing their job fairly.
In some cases, they would send the jobseekers to the Dhaka airport with air tickets for trips to Nepal. At one stage, the fraudsters would switch off their cellphones.
The victims realise they were cheated only after reaching the airport.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police picked up two such fraudsters, including a private university student, from the capital on Thursday.
Nazmul Hasan Sumon alias Mazharul and Tanvir Ahmed Jewel were arrested in Khilkhet and Dakhkhin Khan areas, Molla Nazrul Islam, special superintendent of CID, told reporters at its headquarters in Malibagh yesterday.
A student of Southeast University, Nazmul is from Rajbari's Goalanda and Tanvir is from Babuganj in Barisal.
The two were arrested in a defrauding case, filed by Ziaul Islam and Hayat with Biman Bandar Police Station on November 14 last year. Around Tk 7 lakh was defrauded from them.
Like Ziaul and Hayat, there are many other victims of the gang.
Take the example of Mamunur Rashid Mamun who was defrauded Tk 4.50 lakh.
Talking to journalists at the CID office yesterday, he said he used to work for a footwear factory which was suddenly closed down in January last year.
“Being jobless, I was desperate to make a fortune abroad. After seeing an advertisement in a Bangla daily, I contacted Tanvir. He told me to go to Jamuna Future Park in the capital's Bashundhara area,” Mamun said.
Tanvir told Mamun that they had a bakery business and also had a business partnership with a five star hotel in Hong Kong. They needed staff for those businesses. He assured Mamun of giving him a job with a monthly salary of Tk 60,000.
The jobseeker trusted him.
“They took Tk 20,000 for visa processing and another Tk 20,000 for an air ticket. Later, they told me that as they were facing problems in managing a Hong Kong visa in Bangladesh, I needed to fly to Nepal to get the visa,” Mamun said.
On September 14, Tanvir asked him to pay another Tk 4 lakh to endorse US dollars with his passport. Mamun gave him the money.
Three days later, they bought an US-Bangla Airlines ticket to Nepal for Mamum.
The victim alleged that Tavir was wasting time to buy US dollars saying that the US dollar exchange rate was “not good” and they would exchange the Bangladeshi currency notes for US dollars at the airport on the day of the journey.
At that stage, Mamun sensed that he might be cheated. He then repeatedly pressed Tanvir over the phone to return his money.
Tanvir's mobile phone was found switched off since 12:30pm on September 16.
“I filed a general diary with Biman Bandar Police Station that day,” said a frustrated Mamun.
CID Special Superintendent Molla Nazrul said Tanvir joined Bangladesh Army's engineering core in 2000 and later was suspended from the force as he fractured a ligament during training.
“He started cheating people around five years ago. So far he has cheated many people.”
According to the police official, Tanvir's aide Nazmul was arrested earlier for the same offence, but he came out of jail on bail and started committing the same crime again.
The CID has traced a hefty amount of money in Tanvir's bank accounts.
