Dhaka, May 16 -- Representatives from 26 export-oriented businesses have alleged that officials of Premier Bank, not the traders, were behind a multi-billion taka embezzlement scandal at the bank's Narayanganj branch.

They made the claim at a press briefing in Dhaka on Saturday, where representatives of the firms named in the alleged irregularities spoke out.

They claimed corrupt bankers opened "fake accounts" using the names of their companies to conduct unauthorised transactions.

They asserted that officials from both the Narayanganj branch and the bank's headquarters were "directly involved" in the fraud.

The traders demanded a "special and neutral" investigation into the bank's Narayanganj office to identify the actual perpetrator...