BSB Global Network, a company based in Gulshan-2, Dhaka, is now under serious investigation for allegedly cheating students and their families out of at least Tk18.29 crore. The company claimed to help students get admission to foreign universities, especially in countries like Australia, the United States, and various parts of Europe. However, it is now accused of making false promises, providing fake documents, and collecting large sums of money from people with no real intention of sending them abroad.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has taken the matter seriously. On 4 May, CID Sub-Inspector Ruhul Amin from the Financial Crime Unit filed a case at Gulshan police station under the Money Laundering Act. The case names the company’s owner, Khairul Bashar Bahar, his wife Khandaker Selima Rowshan, their son Arsh Ibn Bashar, and other unknown persons.
How the Scam Worked
According to the case documents, BSB Global has been operating since 2003 and has allegedly been cheating people for years. The CID investigation discovered that the company utilised many deceptive tactics to garner trust. The CID investigation discovered that the company employed a variety of deceptive ways to garner trust. These included forged offer letters from foreign universities, deceptive ads, and bogus promises of visit or student visas.
On many occasions, the company collected enormous sums of money from students but did not send the necessary fees to overseas universities. They also issued clients refund checks, which frequently bounced due to a shortage of funds in their bank accounts. This raised further legal concerns under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The CID has already received 141 written complaints from victims, who collectively lost approximately Tk18.29 crore. This resulted in further legal concerns under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
CID has already received 141 written complaints from victims who collectively lost around Tk18.29 crore. However, CID believes that over 500 people might have been affected.
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Connection with Cambrian School and College
Cambrian School and College is also being investigated due to possible links with the scam. The founder and chairman of Cambrian School is none other than Khairul Bashar, the same person who runs BSB Global.
One victim, Lima Akter, a single mother, shared her story. Her daughter, a student of Cambrian School, was supposedly selected for a scholarship to study in the US. Lima was invited to a ceremony at BSB Global where she was told the total cost of visa processing and one year’s session fees would be $60,000, but with the scholarship, she only needed to pay Tk15 lakh. She paid Tk5 lakh first, and later, just before Eid-ul-Fitr, she paid the remaining Tk10 lakh after being pressured.
But delays followed. They kept saying the documents were “stuck” and asked for more money. After paying Tk60,000 extra, she was told the offer letter had arrived. But later, she learned that many others had been scammed. Now, BSB Global is not answering her calls, and her family is under heavy financial pressure.
Businessman Loses Tk 1 Crore
Another victim, businessman Mahmudul Karim, said he wanted to move to Canada with his two daughters. But BSB Global offered him a US investor visa instead. He sold his apartment and used up his business savings to pay Tk1 crore to BSB Global. After taking the money, the company became unresponsive.
One company official later told him that no progress had been made. Mahmudul has filed a case and submitted a complaint to the CID. He says, “Maybe I’ll get my money back someday, but the time and dreams we lost—those will never come back.”
CID Continues to Search for Suspects
CID officials have confirmed that Khairul Bashar and his family are now hiding. They are accused of laundering the money earned through fraud and buying properties with it. The CID has already collected some documents related to the properties.
A former BSB Global employee, who did not want to be named, said there are several cases against Khairul Bashar and that he has gone into hiding to avoid arrest. Attempts to contact him were unsuccessful, as his phone remains switched off.
CID continues to work to find and arrest the accused, hoping to bring justice to the many families who were deceived.
Source: TBS
