Bangladeshi expatriates in the United Kingdom fear that the arrest of seven businessmen from the community in Dhaka is likely to affect investment in Bangladesh from the community.
The seven businessmen, who are partners in Homeland Life Insurance Company Limited, situated in Motijheel in the capital, were arrested in Dhaka on Wednesday for alleged fraud. They, along with another business partner, were sued in four cases in Magura.
The seven are company vice chairman Jamal Mia, directors Abdur Rab, Kamal Mia, Abdur Razzak, Abdul Ahad, Jamal Uddin Mokhoddus and Abdul Hai. All hail from Sylhet and Sunamganj and have been living in the UK for a long time now.
Mohammad Yasir Arafat Khan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Motijheel police station, told journalists that the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court issued an arrest warrant against the seven recently.
Police said that the men were sued for breach of good faith and embezzlement of policy funds.
The case documents, however, show that the chairman and managing directors were not named in any of the cases.
One of the plaintiffs, Syed Mofakkar Ali, told Dhaka Tribune that the company is not paying out to the subscribers their money even after their policies reached maturity.
Mohib Choudhury, founder president of London-Bangla Press Club, expressed his concerns over the arrest and called for an investigation into the matter by the Bangladesh government.
Shafiqul Islam, director of the British-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the arrestees are reputed personalities in the UK but they are now behind bars.
They voiced concerns that such news is likely to lead to a decline in investments by expatriate Bangladeshis in their home country.