Those political leaders are reportedly trying to secure bail of the arrested postal employees.

Accused Assistant Post Master Nurul Islam Munna and Ledger Operator Ahmedul Islam Raju, both arrested on April 6 and Postal Operator Liaquat Ali, arrested on April 13, are in Nilkphamari District Jail now.

Accused Postal Operator Taslim Uddin is absconding.

Bail prayers for Munna and Raju were moved thrice, but rejected by the court. Bail prayer for Liaquat Ali is yet to be moved.

A team of high officials of the postal department led by Rezaul Islam, Deputy Post Master General (DPMG) of Dinajpur postal region, who is also now DPMG-in-Charge of Rangpur region, met with the Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner yesterday and requested him to take all possible steps so that the probe team can work without any interference by vested quarters and things can go as per law.

The DC assured them all cooperation, the sources said.

Talking to this correspondent, Rezaul Islam said probe in the savings account section will begin today.

Defalcation of more Tk 15 lakh in saving certificate section and another Tk six lakh through fake voucher was detected yesterday, raising the total to Tk three crore seven lakh.

An influential leader of an opposition party went to the court to secure bail of the accused, it is widely alleged.

Sources also claimed that the opposition leader repaid his huge bank loans by taking money from Munna ahead of the last municipal polls.

It is also alleged that police, under the influence of vested quarters, are showing a lenient attitude towards the accused. They did not take them on remand though cases were filed ten days ago.

The duty officer at Nilphamari Sadar thana however told this correspondent yesterday that they sought 15 days' demand for Munna and Raju on Friday. The court is yet to hear the remand prayer, he said.

Accused Mir Nural Islam Munna was an influential leader of postal employees' union. Ledger Operator Ahmedul Islam Raju and Postal Operator Taslim Uddin belonged to the same group led by Munna. They had considerable influence on high officials, the sources claimed.

Munna had contested for the post of general secretary in the last postal CBA election held in 2004 but was defeated by a narrow margin.

The accused persons belonged to a gang, which includes some employees and CBA leaders in five head post offices under Rangpur region, the sources claimed.

Habibur Rahman, central president of the Postal Employees Union and an employee of Gaibandha Head Post Office, is now absconding after being accused in connection with defalcation of depositors' money in his post office.

Another CBA leader, Mofiur Rahman, an employee at Kurigram Head Post Office and general secretary of greater Rangpur postal employees union, has also been arrested for his alleged involvement in postal forgery.

Some high postal officials in Rangpur region could also be involved in the scam, sources close to the probe team hinted. A DPMG and a former DPMG of postal life insurance in Rangpur have also been found involved in the postal forgery. But they are yet to be arrested.

A source in Nilphamari Head Post Office on condition of anonymity told this correspondent that the defalcation rose to such a scale as audit was not done in last ten years.

According to postal law, audit is to be done every year and each head post office is obliged to send important papers to the postal department audit section in Dhaka. But this was also ignored.

Meanwhile the Officer-in- charge (OC) of Nilphamari Thana, who is the investigation officer (IO) of the case, has requested the Nilphamari postal authorities to provide him with necessary papers and documents.

The papers sought might be handed over to police in a day or two, police sources said yesterday.

Worried account holders yesterday continued to crowd the Nilphamari Head Post Office either to check their accounts or to withdraw money.

This has created a liquidity crisis in the postal bank. Many account holders said they could not withdraw money yesterday.

Postal officials said the liquidity crisis will be over in a day or two when funds will be reimbursement by the central authorities.

They said depositors' accounts will remain intact and they have nothing to worry.