6 IFIC bank staffers fall ill: Sabotage ruled out, generator leak suspected

Police have collected CCTV footage related to the mysterious incident at an an IFIC Bank sub-branch in Kuliarchar upazila of Kishoreganj district yesterday, where six bank officials and employees fell ill at the same time.

The footage, captured between 12:30pm and 1:30pm yesterday, was recovered this morning and is being treated as evidence by investigators, police said.

According to the video footage, just before 1:00pm, a few customers entered the bank, completed transactions, and left. The branch then remained customer-free for some time. Suddenly, an accounts department employee, Hosna Rahman, was seen collapsing and vomiting. One by one, five more employees—including two other women—fell ill in a similar manner. Some were seen trying to hazily go outside. Two people, including Branch Manager Soumik Zaman Khan, were unable to get up from their seats and started vomiting.

The video showed one security guard, Kamal Hossain, appearing relatively composed. He slowly approached the cash counter and tried to pick up the telephone but accidentally broke the glass partition in process.

At that time, a customer could be seen entering the bank, but left quickly after Kamal tried to speak to him. Moments later, another security guard, Jewel Mia, entered the building and helped carry the sick staffers outside.

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nazmus Sakib of the Bhairab-Kuliarchar circle and Kuliarchar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Helal Uddin confirmed these details after reviewing the footage.

Law enforcement has ruled out sabotage or robbery. No money was reported missing, and the vault and cashboxes remained intact.

Police are now suspecting the branch's generator, which was placed inside a closed room instead of outside as per standard protocol, to be a culprit, said ASP Nazmus Sakib.

On the day of the incident, a power outage from 10:00am to 2:00pm kept the generator running non-stop. Investigators suspect that toxic gas, which may likely have leaked from the generator, got into the enclosed banking space.

"All affected employees are recovering gradually," said OC Helal Uddin. "The Criminal Investigation Department's crime scene unit has collected samples of food, water, tea, and vomit from the scene. Only after lab tests will we know the actual cause."

All six affected staff are currently undergoing treatment at Jahurul Islam Medical College Hospital.

Speaking to reporters from his hospital bed, branch manager Soumik Zaman Khan said, "Around 1:00pm I started feeling dizzy. After that, I don't remember anything. No one sprayed anything, and I hadn't eaten anything prior to the incident."

Bank operations were suspended immediately following the incident. "We are investigating whether food or drinks were laced with sedatives," said ASP Nazmus Sakib.

"The fire service is examining the air quality and gas emissions in the building to determine if a chemical leak occurred. We hope to get conclusive answers soon."