SYLHET — Police arrested nine people, including a bKash worker, in connection with the robbery of more than 50 lakh taka (about $42,000) belonging to former Sylhet city BNP president Nasim Hossain, authorities said.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police announced the arrests in a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon.
The nine arrested are Shahed Ahmad, 42, of Sheikhpara in Dakshin Surma; Kamal Hossen, 35, of Kamalganj; Adnan, 38, and Abu Taher, 26, of Kanaighat; Rupayan Biswas, 40, of Jakiganj; Roman Ahmad, 44, of Dakshin Surma; Salman Ahmad, 28, of Rajnagar; Golam Shahid, 29, of Bishwanath; and Junayed, 22, of Kanaighat, police said.
Of those arrested, Shahed Ahmad is the Sylhet regional supervisor for bKash, while Adnan, Abu Taher and Rupayan Biswas are distribution sales officers, police said.
Nasim Hossain, the former Sylhet city BNP president, is the Sylhet divisional distributor for the mobile banking service bKash. He told police that with banks closed on Friday morning, he sent employees by private car to deliver 81 lakh 82 thousand taka to traders in Fenchuganj and other areas. Robbers then looted 50 lakh 57 thousand taka from his men at Para-Erchak in Dakshin Surma, according to his complaint.
Police said that around 10:45 a.m. Friday, three men on a motorcycle signaled the vehicle carrying bKash funds to stop in the Lalmatiya area. When the driver slowed down, the motorcyclists stopped the car, intimidated and threatened those inside, beat one occupant and took 50 lakh 70 thousand taka from five bags in the vehicle.
In a Facebook post, Sylhet Metropolitan Police said that despite being aware of the security risks, the people in the car slowed the vehicle, creating the opportunity for the robbery. In addition, escort members Roman Ahmad, 44, Salman Ahmad, 28, Golam Shahid, 29, and Junayed, 22, who had been assigned to protect the money-carrying vehicle, were not present at the scene during the incident, raising suspicion, police said.
Mogalbazar police arrested the nine on suspicion of involvement in the incident, and they have been handed over to the court, police said.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report