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Rare Al Samir, founder and CEO of Interactive Cares, was detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while attempting to leave the country amid allegations of embezzlement and money laundering.
The immigration police, along with officials from Adabor Thana, confirmed that he was held at the airport.
Investors claimed that Al Samir has not returned their invested funds, failed to deliver the promised profits, and has become increasingly unreachable, avoiding calls from those who invested in the venture.
Several current and former employees of Interactive Cares said salaries had remained unpaid for months, with some considering legal action. Al Samir, however, rejected the claims, saying, “The allegations are not true. There is no issue of money laundering, and it never happened. Everyone will receive their money within a month or two.”
Rare Al Samir and Jamila Bupasha Khushbu founded the Dhaka-based edtech startup Interactive Cares in 2020, when demand for online learning was rising during the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform developed a model centered on career-oriented courses, offering a mix of recorded lessons, live classes, and mentorship, with a focus on employability.
In recent years, Interactive Cares has secured early-stage funding from both local and international investors. In 2023, the company raised $100,000 through the Accelerating Asia accelerator programme.