NGO Worker Seizes Household Duck Over Unpaid Instalment

A minor loan dispute in a rural village in Barishal has sparked considerable controversy after an NGO field officer allegedly took away a borrower’s duck in lieu of an unpaid instalment. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon (9 December) in Fulloshree village under Bakal Union of Agailjhara Upazila.

According to the victim, Hafiza Khanam, a member of TMSS NGO, she had taken a loan of Tk 60,000 earlier this year. The loan required her to repay Tk 1,250 per week, which she said she had been paying regularly. On Tuesday, the NGO’s field worker, Firoz Khan, visited her home to collect the weekly instalment.

Hafiza explained that she requested a short extension as she was temporarily unable to pay that week’s amount. Instead of agreeing to the extension, Firoz allegedly demanded one of the Chinese ducks in her courtyard as compensation. When she refused, he reportedly picked up a duck and left.

When contacted about the allegation, field worker Firoz Khan said, “The duck was taken after agreeing on its value as a replacement for the instalment.”
However, Hafiza firmly denied this, stating that she never consented to handing over the duck.

The situation escalated further when the organisation’s manager, Md Rojek Islam, supported the field officer’s claim, arguing that there was nothing wrong if a borrower offered an item equal to the value of the due payment.

In contrast, both local authorities and NGO oversight bodies condemned the act. Kajol Das Gupta, President of the Upazila NGO Coordination Council, stated:
“There is no legal basis for collecting any household goods from a borrower instead of instalment payments.”

Similarly, Tapan Biswas, Agailjhara Upazila Social Services Officer, said the act was “illegal”, adding that TMSS does not officially operate under his administrative jurisdiction, raising further questions about regulatory compliance.

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This incident brings renewed attention to the often tense relationships between microfinance borrowers and field officers in rural Bangladesh. While microcredit institutions have long been credited with empowering low-income families, critics argue that aggressive instalment collection practices remain a serious issue.

In this case, Hafiza Khanam, who relies on small-scale poultry and agricultural work to support her family, said she was already under pressure due to rising living costs and limited seasonal income. Missing a single instalment, she insists, did not justify the humiliation she faced.

Neighbours reported that she was distressed by the incident, particularly as the seized duck was a productive breeder that contributed to her household’s income.

Local civil society representatives emphasised that such unauthorised asset seizure not only violates ethical norms but also erodes public trust in microfinance institutions. They urged authorities to conduct a proper investigation and take corrective action to prevent similar incidents.

As the issue continues to draw public attention, community leaders are calling for clearer regulations and stronger enforcement to protect vulnerable borrowers from undue pressure.

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