M Iqbal Hossain, CTG Bureau 

Jahedul Islam, accused of cheque fraud, has been arrested. He was arrested from his house in Kanchana village of Satkania police station in Chattogram around 4 pm today with the help of a smart team of RAB-7 and the police. He is currently in the custody of the Kotwali police station of the CMP.
According to various sources, the fraudster Jahedul Islam used to extort money from pilgrims under the guise of ‘Sahaba Hajj and Travel Agency’ on the pretext of sending them for Hajj. After the victims paid the money through cash and bank transfer, he would turn off his mobile phone and go into hiding when they went to inquire about the date of Hajj. Several victims including Alhaj Abul Kalam, Joynal Abedin Riaz have filed complaints against him.

According to court sources, the court sentenced Zahedul Islam to one year in prison and a fine in the case of cheque fraud (NI Act). He has been absconding since the verdict was announced.

Local conscious circles and authorities of several travel agencies have demanded strict action against such fraud. According to them, due to fraudsters like Zahedul, the reputation of honest businessmen is being tarnished and Hajj pilgrims are being harassed. They expressed hope that this arrest will reduce the harassment of Hajj pilgrims to a great extent in the future.