Dhaka: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested six members of an organized robbery gang who had identified themselves as RAB personnel in the capital. The elite anti-crime force also apprehended the prime accused in the murder of a factory worker in Lalbagh, RAB's Legal and Media Wing Director MZM Intekhab Chowdhury said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, addressing a media briefing at RAB's Media Centre in Karwan Bazar today, Chowdhury stated, "These crimes are a direct threat to public safety. RAB forces are very aware of this and we continue to maintain a strict vigil against such fraudsters." He elaborated that a team from RAB-10 received secret information about an organized group of robbers preparing for a heist in the Paltan Model Police Station area around 4:30 pm on December 9.
RAB members observed a suspicious microbus approaching and intercepted it. Inside, they found six individuals claiming to be RAB personnel; however, their identity cards were determined to be fake, Chowdhury explained. The arrested suspects have been identified as Md Jewel Biswas, Md Alamin Duari, Sajjad Hossain, Abul Kalam Azad, Borhan Mia, and Mizan.
During the operation, RAB seized a variety of items including four coats marked with 'RAB', four cuffs, five fake ID cards, two handcuffs, two walkie-talkie sets, a pistol cover, a baton, two extra number plates, five smartphones, four button phones, an AirPod, a pair of gloves, four handcuffs, Tk 20,045, and the microbus used for the planned robbery.
Chowdhury further mentioned that several cases, including robbery, have been filed against the arrested individuals. The gang was led by Jewel Biswas, who recruited new members by offering them jobs. Their next target was a robbery in the Sonargaon area of Narayanganj, as disclosed by RAB.