Bangladesh News

A top official of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) received bullet injuries yesterday during a tussle with a suspected robber whose gang was preparing to rob a money exchange office at Moghbazar in the capital.

The wounded, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) BM Nuruzzaman, is an assistant director of Rab.

He was rushed to Shamorita Hospital soon after the incident. He was later transferred to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka where he underwent surgery in the abdomen. He is now out of the woods, said Rab officials.

Rab officials added that Rab has arrested the robber who shot at Nuruzzaman.

Upon receiving secret information that a gang of robbers is set to commit robbery at a money exchange office near Piasi Bar at Moghbazar, nine undercover Rab personnel took position at strategic points in the area at noon.

ASP Nuruzzaman challenged a suspicious group of six youths in front of hotel Parosh near the Moghbazar intersection and at one time he grabbed one of the suspects.

The suspect, Akter Hossain, 35, during a tussle with Nuruzzaman, fired a shot that hit the official in the lower abdomen.

Bullet-hit Nuruzzaman did not lose his grip till his team members arrested Akter with a US-made pistol loaded with four bullets. A bullet cartridge was also recovered from the spot. The other five suspects however managed to flee the scene.

“Akter is a listed criminal and he confessed to be a member of the gang run by commissioner Chowdhury Alam [BNP leader, currently in jail],” said Sultan Mohammad Nurani, commanding officer of Rab 3.

The attack on Rab official prompted Ramna police to carry out separate raids in the area. Listed criminal Hira, another suspected member of the attempted robbery, was apprehended from hotel Diamond during the raids. Following Hira’s confessional statement, a pistol and three bullets were recovered from the same area.

Police picked up 15 others from Moghbazar area. They were later produced before a Dhaka court.

“The bandits are most likely gang members of top listed criminal Subrata Bain,” said AKM Doulat Akbar, officer in charge of Ramna Police Station.

After the attack on the Rab official, Rab personnel charged batons indiscriminately on everyone and injured more than 50 onlookers including beggars and passers-by. The Rab members also dragged locals out of their houses and business establishments and beat them up severely as they failed to provide any information about the assailants.

Around 200 Rab 3 personnel cordoned off the Moghbazar intersection area and searched residential hotels, shops and business establishments. They also body-searched pedestrians.

“The Rab members dragged me out of my shop and beat me up mercilessly on the footpath as I failed to give any information about the incident,” said Razzak, owner of Razzak Sanitary near Hotel Parosh.

Rab picked up 10 people from the area, but they were released later after questioning.

Rab was conducting raids in possible hideouts of the five other gang members involved in the robbery attempt till 7:00pm.