Pintu Das, owner of SK Shilpalay in Chandpur town, is reportedly in hiding with his family amid financial pressure, according to relatives and people claiming to be affected. Das has reportedly been unreachable since Tuesday along with his wife Rimi Das, elder son Priyom Das, a tenth-grade student, and younger son Rupom Das.

Relative Upoma De said the family lived in a rented house in Chandpur and claimed Das was burdened by debt. She said customers had recently pressured him to return pledged gold, while a man from Patowari Bari allegedly threatened him on behalf of customers. Several affected people alleged that Das ran a business providing money against pledged gold but failed to return the items.

Customers said Das had moved his shop several times before operating from the ground floor of Madina Market. Market owner Mofiz Uddin Sarker said Das rented the shop about five to six months ago and still owed several months of rent. Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station officer-in-charge Fayez Ahmed said police had just learned that four family members were missing and would investigate and take steps to locate them.