Himu's Window

Another NGO disappears with Tk 18 lakh in Natore Victims torch office, assault UP chairman   Roving Correspondent, Natore Thousands of victims of Probhati Grameen Unnayan Sangstha went on the rampage yesterday, assaulting a woman Union Parishad chairman and torching office and chief's house in Naldanga as the NGO disappeared with about Tk 18 crore. The NGO officials went into hiding hours after being in the charge of Mahua Parvin Lipi, chairman of Biprobelgharia UP, at Monday night's meeting at the deputy commissioner's office, Natore. A huge number of police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and members of joint forces rushed to bring the situation under control. A contingent of armed police has been on hand as the furious members of the swindling NGO might explode anytime. It could not be immediately estimated how much money the NGO swindled out of its members. Police suspect the NGO collected over Tk 150 crore from around 60,000 members in the last one yea

3 more NGOs vanish with Tk 10 crore Mob ransacks 10 NGO offices   Angry mobs ransacked 10 NGO offices and beat up officials as three more NGOs disappeared with Tk 10 crore seizing the opportunity of Natore district administration's lax management. Meanwhile, a meeting held at the district administration office yesterday decided to stop activities of all NGOs and recommend cancellation of their registration. Anarchy was prevailing in the villages of Naldanga in Natore and Puthia in Rajshahi yesterday as cheated people were desperately looking for the NGO officials concerned to get their money back. Tofazzal Hossain, Chhatni Union Parishad chairman, said: "We informed the district administration several times about the illegal monetary dealings by the NGOs. But they didn't take any action." Sajjad Hossain Mukul, chairman of Shilmaria Union Parishad, said local administration has failed to establish control over NGOs even after Freedom Unnayan Sangstha

Swindler NGO men flee with Tk 250cr 2 lakh cheated of their last penny   Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Mozahar Hossain was enthusiastic about being a member of local NGO Freedom Unnayan Sangstha in Natore depositing only Tk 6,400, as the return seemed very promising. Initially he was asked to bring two more members to start getting Tk 570 a week until Tk 29,540 in 57 weeks. Mozahar, a rickshaw-puller from Mominpur, Naldanga borrowed Tk 70,000 mortgaging his only piece of land and put down the money. He was planning to deposit more when he got back Tk 16,000 in weekly payments. Housewife Sabiha Begum of Mollapara in Puthia, Rajshahi borrowed Tk 38,000 from Karitas, Grameen Bank and Padakkhep and credited those with the NGO. She was getting Tk 3,990 per week. Like Mozahar and Sabiha, thousands of ignorant people from remote villages in Natore, Rajshahi and neighbouring districts were enthusiastic about making quick money, even by selling everything they had and taking loa

Sugar prices up in Rajshahi as govt mills stop sales   Sugar prices increased by Tk 7 a kg in retail markets in one week in Rajshahi region after the government on Monday stopped selling sugar from eight mills in northern region. Sugar was selling at Tk 36 a kg yesterday in Rajshahi, Natore and Naogaon districts against Tk 29 a week ago. Earlier on February 17 the sugar mills under Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) stopped sales, but a day later the mills resumed selling at Tk 28,000 per metric ton against the previous price of Tk 25,000 per metric ton. Industry people said the BSFIC took the move to increase the prices of sugar. When contacted, managing directors of Rajshahi, Natore and North Bengal sugar mills confirmed that the mills have stopped selling sugar. Asked about reasons behind the price hike of sugar, M Yahia Mia, managing director of Rajshahi Sugar Mills, said production cost of per ton of sugar is around Tk 41,500 but the mills sell