They used to publish fake job advertisements in newspapers assuring the jobseekers of processing their visa applications to land jobs in Hong Kong and realise a handsome amount.

In some cases, they would send the jobseekers to the Dhaka airport with air tickets for trips to Nepal and then switch off their mobile phones.

After reaching the airport, the victims realised that they have been cheated.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police picked up two such fraudsters, including a private university student, from the capital on Thursday.

Nazmul Hasan Sumon alias Mazharul and Tanvir Ahmed Jewel were arrested in Khilkhet and Dakkhin Khan areas, Molla Nazrul Islam, special superintendent of CID, told reporters at its headquarters in Malibagh yesterday.

A student of Southeast University, Nazmul is from Rajbari's Goalanda and Tanvir is from Babuganj in Barisal.

The two were arrested in a fraud case, filed by Ziaul Islam and Hayat with Biman Bandar Police Station on November 14 last year. Around Tk 7 lakh was taken from them.

Like Ziaul and Hayat, there are many other victims of the gang.

Take the example of Mamunur Rashid Mamun.

Talking to journalists at the CID office yesterday, he said he used to work for a footwear factory which was closed down in January last year.

“Being jobless, I was desperate to make a fortune abroad. After seeing an advertisement in a Bangla daily, I contacted Tanvir. He told me to go to Jamuna Future Park in the capital's Bashundhara area,” Mamun said.

Tanvir told Mamun that they had a bakery and a business partnership with a five-star hotel in Hong Kong. They needed staff for those businesses. He assured Mamun of a job there with a monthly salary of Tk 60,000.

The jobseeker trusted him.

“They took Tk 20,000 for visa processing and another Tk 20,000 for an air ticket. Later, they told me that as they were facing problems in managing a Hong Kong visa in Bangladesh, I needed to fly to Nepal to get the visa,” Mamun said.

On September 14, Tanvir asked him to pay another Tk 4 lakh to endorse US dollars with his passport. Mamun gave him the money.

Three days later, they bought an US-Bangla Airlines ticket to Nepal for Mamum.

The victim alleged that Tavir was wasting time to buy US dollars saying that the US dollar exchange rate was “not good” at that time and they would exchange the Bangladeshi currency notes for US dollars at the airport on the day of the journey.

At that stage, Mamun sensed that he might be cheated. He then repeatedly pressed Tanvir over the phone to return his money.

Tanvir's mobile phone was found switched off since 12:30pm on September 16.

“I filed a general diary with Biman Bandar Police Station that day,” said a frustrated Mamun.

CID Special Superintendent Molla Nazrul said Tanvir joined Bangladesh Army's engineering corps in 2000 and was later relieved from the force as he tore a ligament during training.

“He started cheating people around five years ago. So far he has cheated many people.”

The CID has traced a hefty amount of money in Tanvir's bank accounts.

According to the police official, Tanvir's aide Nazmul was arrested earlier for the same offence, but he came out of jail on bail and started committing the same crime again.

The CID in a press release yesterday said they were probing the case.

It said the law enforcers seized four mobile phones, eight SIMs, $2,500, four passports and three cheque books of as many banks from the procession of the two arrestees, now on two-day remand each.

Molla Nazrul said newspapers should carefully scrutinise advertisements before publishing those so that criminals cannot take any undue advantage to defraud innocent people. 

The jobseekers should also verify any related information from the prospective employers before entering any agreement with an organisation or an individual, he added.