Trapped by BSB Global Network while trying to study abroad

Zahidul Haque Khan and Rawnak Jahan, a lawyer couple, had planned to pursue higher education in Canada. To make it happen, they contacted BSB Global Network.

Zahidul said the agency promised to arrange student visas for both of them. They paid a total of Tk 3.4 million, Tk 1.7 million each. But the agency failed to deliver on its promise.

When the visas did not come through, they requested a refund, but the agency refused to return the money.

Later, on 5 May, a case was filed on behalf of 18 people, including Zahidul and Rawnak, against BSB Global Network chairman Khairul Bashar and other officials of the agency.

Lawyer Zahidul told Prothom Alo, “Many others like me have fallen victim to BSB Global Network’s fraud. We just want our hard-earned money back.”

The case is being investigated by Sub-Inspector (SI) Rezaul Karim of Gulshan police station. He told Prothom Alo, “We are treating this case with utmost importance.”

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Bashar on charges of embezzling millions by promising to send students abroad for higher education.

CID’s superintendent of police (SP) Md Abul Kalam Azad said in a text message that Bashar was arrested from the Dhanmondi area in the city area on Monday in connection with a money laundering case.

The case, filed by CID SI Ruhul Amin, accuses Bashar of laundering Tk 180 million after promising to send 141 students overseas for higher education. The case is currently under investigation by CID.

According to the case statement, Bashar, along with his wife Khondaker Selima Rowshan and son Arsh Ibn Bashar lured students with flashy advertisements and swindled them out of a large sum of money.

They embezzled a total of Tk 182.96 million from 141 students promising them higher education abroad.

CID says preliminary investigation reveals that Bashar built a fraud ring along with his wife Rowshan and son Arsh between 2018 and 2024. The group swindled large sums of money from students in the name of university admissions abroad, scholarships, and visa processing.

It has been learnt that at least 100 individuals have filed cases against Bashar at Gulshan Police Station in the capital and in various courts across the country. These cases were filed between October last year and 30 June this year. Arrest warrants have been issued against Bashar in connection with these cases.

Willing to be unnamed, a prosecution wing official of the DMP told Prothom Alo, Bashar has been sued in one after another cases since October last year. A court has barred him from leaving the country.

Amir Hossain, a resident of Shariatpur, lives in Dhaka for his work. He told Prothom Alo that he had paid Tk 1.3 million to BSB Global Network for higher education. The organisation was supposed to arrange a visa for Canada, but it failed to do so and also did not refund the money.

On 28 December last year, Amir Hossain and 22 others filed a case against Bashar at Gulshan Police Station in the capital.

Amir Hossain told Prothom Alo, “I was told that the visa would be arranged within three months and that I would be able to go abroad for higher education in Canada; but BSB Global Network failed to arrange my visa. I could not go abroad. I sold land to arrange the money. I have learned that many others like me have been cheated after paying money. We want our hard-earned money back. We demand exemplary punishment for the fraudsters.”

Another student, Jannatul Ferdous, filed a case against Bashar and officials of his organisation with Gulshan Police Station in September last year.

According to the complaint, the agency embezzled Tk 1.6 million from Jannatul Ferdous promising a student VISA in Canada.

Abu Zahid, general manager of BSB Global Network, was arrested in connection with the case on 11 December last year. He was granted bail by the court on 23 February.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Gulshan police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Hafizur Rahman said, “Bashar stands accused of embezzling large sums of money from students by promising to send them abroad for higher education. There are nine cases filed against him at my police station. We will appeal to the court to show him as arrested in these cases.”