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Police have arrested nine members of an alleged robbery gang in connection with the armed robbery of Tk 3.8 crore in the capital’s Dhanmondi area.
Three of those arrested are retired members of the Bangladesh Army, while some had previously served in the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police said.
The arrested suspects are Tanvir Ahmed Jewel, 41; Md Mujibur Rahman, 60; Md Zakir Hossain alias Captain Zakir, 60; Md Solaiman Mridha, 55; Mohammad Kabir Hossain, 50; Abul Kalam Azad, 50; Md Zakaria Hossain alias Lenin, 40; Sajal Chowdhury, 31; and Saimun Chowdhury, 33.
DMP Joint Commissioner (Crime) Md Faruk Hossain disclosed the information at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road on Sunday (September 6).
He said a gang of 8–10 robbers robbed a man named Khoshed Alam at gunpoint of Tk 3.8 crore in front of Dingi Restaurant on Road No. 12 in Dhanmondi Model Police Station area at around 2:10pm on August 30.
As the robbers fled with the money, police, with help from local residents, arrested Tanvir Ahmed Jewel and Md Mujibur Rahman. A locally made revolver and four rounds of ammunition were recovered from their possession.
Based on information provided by the two suspects, police later arrested Md Zakir Hossain alias Captain Zakir in the Dakshinkhan area. Subsequently, six more alleged members of the gang were arrested in separate drives in Patuakhali, Kuakata bus stand, Mohammadpur, Baitul Mukarram and other areas, with the help of information provided by the arrested suspects and technology.
Police recovered Tk 345,350 from Md Zakaria Hossain alias Lenin and Tk 200,000 from Sajal Chowdhury. A total of Tk 575,350 was recovered and seized, the joint commissioner said.
He said drives are continuing to arrest other members of the gang who remain at large or are yet to be identified.
Two separate cases have been filed with Dhanmondi Model Police Station under the robbery and arms laws. Several of the arrested suspects have previous criminal cases against them.
According to police, Tanvir Ahmed Jewel has four previous cases involving robbery and snatching, while Sajal Chowdhury has six such cases. Zakaria Hossain has two cases involving drugs and murder/attempted murder, while Abul Kalam Azad has three previous cases.
Faruk Hossain said Khoshed Alam had taken the money to purchase gold and met members of the gang at a location in Dhanmondi. During discussions over the gold transaction, he was taken by rickshaw to the area in front of Dingi Restaurant as part of a pre-planned scheme.
A four- to five-member robbery team led by Lenin was already waiting in the area. Following their signal, other members of the gang blocked the rickshaw. They then forcibly took the money from Alam and assaulted him before several members fled the scene on motorcycles with the cash.
Asked about the retired army personnel among the arrested suspects, the joint commissioner said Mujibur Rahman had retired from the Bangladesh Army as a sergeant, Mohammad Zakir Hossain alias Captain Zakir as an honorary captain, and Solaiman Mridha as a senior warrant officer.
He also said some of the suspects had previously worked for RAB.
According to police, several members of the gang were involved in gold trading and would lure prospective buyers by claiming to have gold for sale. Buyers were asked to bring money to purchase the gold.
After the buyers arrived with the money, the suspects would initially discuss the transaction at one location. They would then take the buyers to another place for the exchange of gold and cash, where the gang would carry out a pre-planned robbery.
Police said they are interrogating the arrested suspects and analysing the recovered evidence to identify other members of the gang and gather further information about their involvement in the robbery.