The 46 indigenous people, who gave the woman Tk 1.10 lakh to 1.50 lakh each, selling or leasing their land properties or borrowing at high interest rates, are now leading an inhuman life with no jobs to earn.

They cannot even return to their own houses as they do not have any means to repay their loans, said a group of the cheated Garos at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity yesterday.

They said the Singaporean woman named Dolly Devi used to regularly go to the Nangrima Christian Garo Church at Kalachandpur at Baridhara in the capital in early 2004 and developed a relationship with the local Garo Christians.

"Once at a weekly prayer, Dolly Devi, who claimed to be a Christian, became emotional about the teachings of love and peace in Christianity," said Bijoy Richil in his written speech.

She expressed her wish to arrange employment at Singaporean hotels and restaurants for the floating Garos in Dhaka so that they can improve their fate.

Many Garo men then started collecting money by selling or leasing land properties or borrowing from local moneylenders.

The Garo people soon gave Dolly Tk 46 lakh in total, along with their passports. Dolly had told them that the opportunities for employment and deadline for paying the money is limited, Bijoy said at the press conference.

As the deadline approached, Dolly informed that the visas of all 46 applicants had arrived. Upon such information, most of the Garo aspirants resigned from their jobs, did some shopping for their "sure" travel to Singapore, and bid farewell to relatives, Bijoy said.

"But she changed the dates many times and we could not go to Singapore yet. Then we realised that Dolly Devi disappeared. Our then pastor of the church, Monoj Chisim, who had good connection with Dolly, has also disappeared."

Bijoy said they have applied to various government departments but Dolly in association with her business partner Arif Hossain continued to threaten them.

When the present caretaker government came to power the cheated Garos made a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs that entrusted Sub-Inspector Jasimuddin of Gulshan Police Station to investigate the matter.

Bijoy said SI Jasimuddin, along with some of them, went to Arif's Survey 2000 office and Arif admitted to Dolly's fraud. He said he does not know Dolly's address but said she goes to office three-four days a week.

Bijoy alleged that Jerome Costa, who led the Garos about going to Singapore, now joined hands with Dolly and Monoj after getting a big amount from them.

Following the press conference, a group of journalists went to Nangrima Garo Christian Church at Kalachandpur. The present pastor of the church, Clement Sangma, and other Garos acknowledged the incident of cheating.

During a visit to Arif's office, his employees first denied his presence at the office although he was later found there. Asked about his relationship with Dolly, he said she is his friend and he has no business relations with her.

Arif refused to talk to the media further.