Allegations have surfaced against staff of an NGO in Chitalmari, Bagerhat, for taking a housewife's gold ring, nose ring, and a brass pot over an unpaid microcredit loan installment.
The incident involves Shraboni Hira (22), a housewife from Aroudbarani village. A video clip of her recounting the event went viral on social media last Saturday, sparking widespread criticism in the area.
According to a sobbing Shraboni Hira, she had taken a loan of BDT 40,000 from the Dam Foundation for Economic Development (DFED), Chitalmari branch. She was supposed to repay BDT 45,120 in total. After her husband Ripon left the area for work, she defaulted on a few installments when a small amount remained unpaid.
She alleges that on the morning of October 29, staff from the NGO took her from her home to their office. “They locked me and my three-year-old daughter in a room,” Shraboni told local journalists. “Later in the afternoon, the NGO staff forced me to sign two blank stamp papers and, under pressure, took my gold ring, nose ring, and a brass pot. They also recorded a video of it. My child was crying from hunger, but I was too scared to say anything.”
She claims that a staff member later recorded BDT 8,000 against the ring and BDT 1,500 against the pot in her passbook.
In sharp contrast, officials and staff of the NGO claim that Shraboni happily handed over the items of her own free will.
When contacted, Basudeb Devnath, manager of DFED's Chitalmari branch, acknowledged hearing about the incident involving the nose ring. “The housewife, Shraboni, had defaulted on her installments. We will look into the matter,” he said.
