Sabbir Ibn Siddiq, Hatiiya  (Noakhali) 

A loan shark named Tofail Ahmed has been accused of locking a rickshaw puller's house in Hatiya, Noakhali, for interest money. As a result, for the past eight days, the rickshaw puller, Ekram Hossain, has been living an inhumane life on the open veranda with his wife and children, ignoring the storm. The incident took place in Charbagula village of Ward No. 7 of Charking Union of the upazila.

According to local sources, Ekram, a rickshaw puller living in a house under a government project, took a loan from Tofail Ahmed at interest for his needs. Due to poverty, Tofail recently locked his house because he could not repay the interest for a long time. As a result, the family was forced to take shelter in the open veranda.

Rickshaw puller Ekram Hossain said that in 2015, he borrowed 60,000 taka at interest for the treatment of two people injured in a rickshaw accident. Later, he had to borrow money again. So far, he has paid 186,000 taka. Still, he alleged that he was forced to pay a stamp duty of 333,000 taka.
He added, "I am spending the night in the rain on the balcony with my wife and children. Cooking is off, and I am somehow getting through the day with a bed and mosquito net borrowed from the house next door."

Ekram's wife said, "We are staying on the balcony with our young children because we can't enter the house. The children are cold from the rain. No one is standing by us."

Rural doctor Abdul Halim said, "Such inhumane incidents cannot be accepted. Small children are falling ill and they cannot afford treatment."

Without denying the allegations, loan shark Tofail Ahmed said, "He took a loan from me with the profit money. He was running away without paying the money. So I locked the house. I will unlock it if he pays the money."

 Charking Union Parishad Chairman Naeem Uddin said, "Locking someone's house for interest is a legal offense. I am sending a watchman and taking measures to open the lock right now."