Jasimuddin Iti, Haripur (Thakurgaon)

Tulin Chandra Roy, an assistant teacher of Hinduism at Atgharia High School in Haripur Upazila of Thakurgaon, has allegedly taken a loan of about half a crore taka from banks, various financial institutions and ordinary people of the area and disappeared with his family to India. The concerned authorities have suspended his MPO due to his long absence from school.

Investigations revealed that Tulin Chandra Roy, a resident of Kashipur Goabari village in Ranishankail upazila, joined Atgharia High School in Gedua Union No. 1 in Haripur upazila as a Hinduism teacher in November 2001. Having built up acceptance in the area due to his long teaching career, he also received large loan facilities from various banks and NGOs.

He took a loan of about 1.3 million taka from Sonali Bank Haripur branch in 2023. In addition, he took another loan of 3 lakh 50 thousand taka from a private organization called 'CAPB' in Haripur. Later, on the pretext of paying installments to banks and organizations and showing personal problems, he started borrowing large sums of money from local teachers, businessmen and neighbors.

Talking to the victims, it was learned that everyone trusted him and lent him a large sum of money because he was in a respectable profession like teaching. A teacher from the same school, who asked not to be named, expressed his anger and said, "He borrowed 4 lakh taka in cash from me. Later, I came to know that he had borrowed 4 lakh taka from not only me, but also from another colleague at the school and 1 lakh 50 thousand taka from another employee.

Apart from this, he has taken money from several local common people and small businessmen under various terms in stamps and verbal agreements. The victims claim that his total loan amount exceeds half a crore taka.

After collecting huge sums of money from all sources, he went into hiding with his family in mid-2024. Later, investigations revealed that he had crossed the border into India under the cover of night, eluding the eyes of his creditors.

Recently, some young men from the area who met him at a market in India said that they had seen Tulin Chandra Roy riding an easy bike (Toto) in Raiganj area of Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal. When we spoke on the street there, he exchanged general greetings but did not reveal his current permanent address. Since then, no further contact has been possible with him.

Acting principal of Atgharia High School, Manjurul Islam, said, "He joined this school in 2001 during the tenure of the former principal. We came to know about his huge debt when various creditors and people from banks started coming to the school for the money owed. He has been completely absent from the school since 2024."

Expressing anger over the teacher's actions, local creditors and concerned groups have demanded a prompt investigation into the matter and necessary legal action.