BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 28th February 2026: A financially struggling couple from Mettamura in South Charilam has accused the Charilam branch of Bandhan Bank of financial irregularities and overcharging in connection with a loan repayment. The allegations were made public on Saturday morning by daily wage worker Sudip Sarkar and his wife, Bulti Kar Sarkar.
According to the family, Sudip’s mother, Anita Sarkar, had taken a loan of ₹1 lakh from the Charilam branch on November 7, 2024. As per the agreement, the loan was to be repaid in 96 weekly installments of ₹1,280 each. The family claims they paid 81 installments regularly, sometimes through online transactions and at other times in cash. They also state that they possess all relevant payment documents.
Sudip Sarkar alleged that the very first installment of ₹1,280, though collected by a bank employee who visited their home and recorded the payment in the loan passbook, was never reflected in the bank’s official account records.
The issue came to light on the 20th of this month when the family visited the branch to clear the remaining dues in one lump sum. They claim discrepancies were found in the statement provided by the bank. According to the couple, the bank initially informed them that ₹19,200 was required to settle the outstanding amount. However, they were allegedly asked to pay ₹22,200 — nearly ₹3,000 more than stated.
When questioned about the additional charge, branch officials reportedly cited “holiday interest” as the reason. Sudip Sarkar has raised concerns over how such interest could be imposed when weekly installments were paid regularly. He further claimed that the bank’s account statement does not show any record of the first installment payment.
“Our hard-earned money — where has it gone?” Sudip asked, demanding a fair and transparent investigation into the matter.
The family also stated that they have visited the branch multiple times regarding the issue but were made to return without resolution. They claim to have submitted both written and verbal complaints to the area manager, who visits the branch every Friday.
According to the couple, a similar incident had previously affected another customer in South Charilam, and corrections were reportedly made after the matter was highlighted in the media.
The allegations have sparked concern in the local community, with some residents warning that failure to resolve such complaints promptly and transparently could damage the credibility of the branch.
As of now, no official response has been issued by the Charilam branch of Bandhan Bank regarding the allegations.
