The syndicate’s leader, CNG auto-rickshaw driver Zakir Hossain, along with his three accomplices—Nazrul Islam, Mizanur Rahman, and Hafizul Islam alias Habu—were apprehended. Mohammad Rakib Khan, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of DMP’s Tejgaon DB Division, confirmed the arrests, stating that Zakir Hossain was detained first, and based on his information, the other three were subsequently arrested. Police recovered three knives, two stolen mobile phones, and a CNG auto-rickshaw from their possession.
DC Rakib Khan revealed that the syndicate operated by offering rides to passengers disembarking at bus terminals like Gabtoli and Kalyanpur, promising to take them to their destinations. Upon reaching predetermined locations in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, the driver would stop the vehicle, citing mechanical issues to stall for time. Meanwhile, armed members of the syndicate would rob the passengers at knifepoint, sometimes holding them hostage to extort money from their bank accounts.
The breakthrough came while investigating a robbery case filed on August 16 at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. The syndicate was found to operate in two groups: one consisting of the CNG driver and the other carrying out the armed robbery. Despite three consecutive robbery cases filed at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, the local police initially failed to trace the syndicate. The Tejgaon DB then launched a shadow investigation, analyzing CCTV footage from the area to identify the CNG auto-rickshaw and its driver. Following Zakir’s arrest, the details of the robbery operation were uncovered.
According to the case statement from August 16, a passenger arriving from Rajshahi at the Technical Bus Stand boarded a CNG auto-rickshaw to reach their destination. Upon reaching the National Revenue Board building, the driver stopped the vehicle, claiming mechanical failure, and stalled for time. Three robbers, with the driver’s assistance, looted the passenger’s belongings. When the robbers demanded additional money, they assaulted and pressured the passenger, forcing them to arrange more funds via bKash from their family. The robbers then abandoned the victim in an isolated area of Agargaon and fled.
