Police have arrested Md Anisur Rahman, 45, a fugitive accused in 124 cases involving alleged fraud and the misappropriation of customers’ money, who had also been convicted in 12 cases and escaped from prison last year.
A special team from Kumarkhali Police Station in Kushtia arrested Anisur at around 9pm on Wednesday in Uttara, Dhaka. He was subsequently produced before a court on Thursday afternoon and sent to jail.
Anisur, a resident of Sadarpur village in Kumarkhali, allegedly built a large financial operation by collecting deposits from members of the public with promises of returning double their money after a fixed period.
He established an organisation called Bishwas Sanchay Rindaan o Samabaya Samity Limited under Bishwas Foundation in 2006 in the Alauddin Nagar area of Nandalalpur Union. Within a few years, branches were opened in Kushtia, Rajbari, Pabna, Jhenaidah and other surrounding districts.
According to police, local residents and customers who said they were affected, the organisation attracted substantial deposits by offering schemes promising that savers would receive twice the amount they had deposited after the agreed term.
Over time, around Tk200 crore was reportedly collected from customers. Police and local sources said Anisur subsequently accumulated assets including land, houses and vehicles in different parts of the country.
The situation began to deteriorate in early 2023, when field workers and customers started demanding the return of their money. As pressure mounted, the organisation’s office was reportedly locked in November that year, after which Anisur went into hiding.
Court and police records indicate that around 124 cases alleging fraud and misappropriation were filed against him in courts in Kushtia and elsewhere in the country from early 2024. Warrants were issued in those cases, and he was eventually convicted in 12 of them, receiving different terms of imprisonment.
His first major arrest came on 30 April 2024, when he was detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka while allegedly attempting to leave the country. He was subsequently sent to Kushtia District Jail.
However, on 7 August 2024, during a period of unrest, Anisur reportedly escaped from the prison after the main gate was broken, along with 104 other inmates.
Kumarkhali police then began a prolonged effort to trace him. Sub-Inspector Sohag Shikdar said Anisur deliberately avoided using a mobile phone himself in an attempt to prevent the authorities from tracking him.
After escaping from prison, he reportedly moved between relatives’ homes in Narayanganj, Shahbagh and Uttara. Police conducted several operations in an effort to locate him, but were initially unable to confirm his whereabouts.
Sohag Shikdar said he personally took part in two raids while pursuing the fugitive. The breakthrough came after police received information from a neighbour who confirmed that Anisur was staying at his son’s residence in Uttara. A special team subsequently raided the house and arrested him on Wednesday night.
Victims demand return of savings
News of Anisur’s arrest drew a number of alleged victims to Kumarkhali police station on Thursday morning. Many said they had entrusted their lifetime savings to his organisation after being persuaded by promises of high returns.
Abdul Majed, 64, from Machpara in Pangsar, Rajbari, said he had saved Tk11.5 lakh during his working life in the garment sector. He deposited the money with Anisur’s organisation after being promised that it would double in four years, but alleged that the money disappeared when Anisur went into hiding after about two years.
His wife, Bina Khatun, said the family had lost everything after relying on the promised return.
Jahanara Khatun of Jahedpur village in Kumarkhali, who had worked for the organisation since 2013, said she had deposited around Tk30 lakh. The money, she said, came from her salary and bonuses, proceeds from leasing land, and the sale of livestock.
Anisur’s own niece, also named Bina Khatun, said she had deposited Tk3 lakh with her uncle and had subsequently been unable to recover it. She demanded that the money be returned or that the authorities impose the strongest possible punishment if the allegations are proved.
Officer-in-Charge Jamal Uddin of Kumarkhali Police Station said Anisur had allegedly collected crores of taka by enticing people with attractive financial promises. He said the accused had escaped from prison on 7 August 2024 but had now been recaptured after a lengthy police effort.
Police have advised affected customers to pursue their claims through the legal process. The arrest is expected to allow investigators and the courts to proceed with the outstanding cases and determine the legal responsibility of the accused in accordance with the evidence.
