Met with Blame Instead of Compassion.
In a tragic turn of events at Dutch Bangla Bank in Moulvibazar city, Tanbir Habib Choudhury's (Rumel) pursuit of a routine banking transaction morphed into a nightmare of loss and victim blaming.
Tanbir, known as a gentleman of the community and a resident of Kazirgawn, Moulvibazar city, visited the bank around 11:03/04 in the morning to withdraw 2 lakhs. However, his plans took an unexpected turn when the bank informed him that only 500 taka bundles were available, instead of the 1000 taka bundles he had requested.
After a hearing this A man standing next to Mr. Rumel asked him to exchange the 500 taka bundles to 1000 bundles with him. Despite initial hesitation, he was convinced by a man to exchange the bundles.
The stranger then directed Mr. Rumel to a nearby chair and handed him a bundle of money, instructing him to count it while seated. However, moments after touching the money, Mr Rumel experienced a sudden onset of weakness and disorientation. It took him approximately 5 to 7 minutes to regain his composure, only to realize that 81,000 taka had been stolen from him during the ordeal, as captured by the CCTV footage. They left the bank at 11:07.
In a state of shock and confusion, Mr. Choudhury's family members contacted the bank authorities to report the incident and seek assistance. However, their pleas fell on deaf ears as the bank officials dismissed the matter, attributing the loss to Mr. Rumel's purported willingness to part with his money. Instead, they redirected their attention to the presence of the robber in their transaction counter, seemingly unconcerned with Mr. Rumel's plight. Instead of offering empathy and support, the authorities callously shifted the blame onto victim, insinuating that he willingly gave his money. This cruel twist of fate left victim reeling from the double blow of financial loss and unjust accusation. In a country where the vulnerable are often left to bear the burden of their own victimization.
Even with the full video footage of this incident, the authorities didn’t pay any attention and made no attempt to identify the culprits if, by any chance, this group of robbers made any transactions with the bank or were clients of the bank. This unfortunate incident serves as a poignant reminder of the lack of empathy and accountability prevalent in our society. In times of crisis, it is crucial for institutions to extend compassion and support to those in need, rather than resorting to unjust accusations and victim blaming.
Ultimately, it underscores the insecurity and lack of accountability prevalent in the society to which we unfortunately belong.
Officer Incharge KM Nazrul of Moulvibazar Model Police Station said that a customer of the bank has complained to the police station. We are investigating the matter.