Eleven people have been detained in Kamalnagar upazila of Lakhimpur for their alleged bid to take some impoverished people to Dhaka with promises of interest-free loans ranging from Tk 1 lakh to Tk 1 crore for attending a rally.

Police and army personnel detained them from Koraitola Bazar of Kamalnagar upazila after locals intercepted three buses and four microbuses carrying over 300 people including women and teenagers when they were going to join the rally organised by a group named Ahingsha Andolon Bangladesh.

Upon receiving information  from locals, the army and police detained them and seized the vehicles on Sunday night, said Kamalnagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Tahidul Islam said on Monday morning.

The passengers of the buses and microbuses said the organisers had collected Tk 1,000 from each person promising interest-free loans if they attended the rally reportedly scheduled for Shahbagh or Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.

Morshed Alam, a resident of Koralitola bazar area, said the group had been mobilising locals under the guise of providing loans since early August.

Farhana Akter and Jesmin Begum, two women from Uttar Char Lawrence village, said they had been assured Tk 1 lakh loans in exchange for attending the rally and paying a nominal fee of Tk 10. They were supposed to get the loan the day after the rally.

Nasima and Rowshan Begum, residents of Torabganj village, said they paid Tk 1,000 each as transport fees.

They added that many others had similarly contributed money.

OC Tahidul Islam said  they detained 11 people and seized the vehicles but the main perpetrators could not be traced yet.

“The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) did not approve any such rally. The so-called rally has been canceled," the OC added.