Destitute cooperative societies with half a million customers, thousands of rupees – 2024-04-07 06:19:30

In Motherganj of Jamalpur, several cooperative societies have disappeared after collecting deposits of around 1000 crores from around 50,000 customers with the lure of high profits. Disoriented customers lost everything.

According to the victims and related sources, more than two hundred cooperative societies were formed in Motherganj upazila under different names after registering from the upazila cooperative office. Among them, Motherganj Al-Aqaba Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Shatadal Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Swadesh Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Navadwip Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Janata Shramjeevi Cooperative Society are among them. About 50,000 customers of various professions deposit thousands of crores of rupees in these institutions. Al-Aqaba and hundreds of multi-purpose associations deposited the most money. However, in the beginning, even though they gave profit to the customers, now the people of those institutions have taken money and covered it up. Many have lost everything and are living an inhumane life.

According to the audit report of Motherganj Upazila Cooperative Office, till June 2023, deposits of Al-Aqaba are 418 crores 70 lakhs, Shatadal 221 crores 85 lakhs 81 thousand 55 lakhs, Navadwip 25 crores 80 lakhs, Swadesh 56 crores 87 lakhs 57 thousand 51 lakhs. Apart from this, 10-15 other societies have deposits between 1 crore and 10 crore rupees. However, in reality, the amount of capital and assets of these associations is several times more than the calculation of the cooperative office.

It can be seen from the surface, various cooperative societies have been established in various residential and commercial buildings of Motherganj city. At least 10 association offices are available in one building. In these institutions, customers have deposited from a minimum of two lakhs to crores of taka. Now almost all association offices are locked. And the customers are thronging in front of the association’s office every day in the hope of how to get back the deposit, let alone the dividend.

Akhtar, a customer of Al-Aqaba multi-purpose cooperative society, said that he kept his deposit of six and a half lakh taka thinking about the future. His mother Anwara Begum also deposited five and a half lakh taka in the Hundred and Half Cooperative Society in the hope of getting a good profit every month against the deposit. Suddenly the profit was stopped for the last one year. Recently went to the office and saw the lock hanging.

Raihan Rahmatullah Rimu, President of Motherganj Central Bhumukhi Cooperative Society and Joint General Secretary of Upazila Awami League, said, I resigned from Central Bumumukhi Cooperative Society and Rupsi Bangla Savings and Loans Cooperative Society a few months ago after realizing that other directors of the society were making trouble with money. So I don’t know anything about it.

Yusuf Ali, the lawyer of Jamalpur Judge Court, said that these institutions have embezzled more than two thousand (according to the audit report) crores of rupees from the customers. Due to the lack of monitoring by the administration, so many institutions have been able to embezzle customer deposits. So they cannot avoid its responsibility.

When asked, District Cooperative Officer Abdul Hannan said that until now the societies were doing illegal transactions. Upazila Cooperative Officer Jahangir Alam Khan has been mourned after receiving the complaint. The registration of these societies will be cancelled.

Deputy Commissioner Shafiur Rahman said, it will be seen whether the associations have conducted their financial activities in accordance with the law or not. Besides, it will also be seen why so many institutions have been given licenses.

Nasim Uddin/SR/JIM