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Armed robbers ambushed a passenger bus on the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf highway in broad daylight on Saturday, shooting a bKash agency employee and fleeing with a large sum of cash after forcing the vehicle to stop.
The incident occurred around 1:45pm near Bridge No. 14 in the Damdumia area of Teknaf, just north of the Teknaf land port, said Md Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Model Police Station.
Three employees of a local bKash agency were targeted in the attack. Md Arman, 24, sustained a gunshot wound, while Sakib, 21, and Ekram, 22, were physically assaulted. All three were taken to Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital for treatment.
According to police and witnesses, the attackers blocked the highway by placing nail-studded tree trunks on the road, forcing a Palki Paribahan bus to halt. The armed group then boarded the vehicle, assaulted the three employees, and seized the cash they were carrying before fleeing toward nearby hills, firing several rounds to deter pursuit.
The victims had withdrawn money from a bank in Teknaf and were travelling to deliver cash to bKash agents in Hnila and Whykong unions. They claimed the robbers looted around Tk57 lakh, though police said the exact amount is yet to be verified.
Speaking from hospital, injured employee Arman questioned how the attackers knew about the cash transfer and urged investigators to examine possible internal collusion, including whether anyone on the bus may have been involved. He also alleged that the bus did not move even after shots were fired.
Police said they responded quickly to the scene and have taken the bus into custody. Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Coast Guard, and police have launched a joint অভিযান to identify and arrest those responsible.