Two leaders of the BNP and Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal have been arrested over the alleged snatching of 200 grams of gold from the relatives of an expatriate near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The arrested are Abdur Rouf, president of the Airport Thana unit of the BNP and Al-Amin Shanto, general secretary of the Airport Thana unit of Chhatra Dal.
Two others are also accused in the case and remain at large, police said.
Mirza Tarique Beg, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Uttara Division, confirmed the arrests, saying the two were arrested in a case filed by the expatriate’s brother.
“Police are conducting raids to arrest the others involved in the incident,” he said.
Airport Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kamrul Hasan told The Business Standard that Shanto and Rouf were arrested and placed on one-day remand through court.
“Police have recovered 100 grams of gold from them,” he said.
According to the case statement, the victim, Md Suman, is the younger brother of Kawsar, a Bangladeshi expatriate living in Malaysia. Kawsar sent 200 grams of gold jewellery from Malaysia on 28 August for a family wedding and personal use.
Around 8pm that day, Suman collected the jewellery from the airport with his friend Rohan Chowdhury. They were carrying 100 grams each, according to the case statement.
The two then left the airport area in a rented vehicle.
The case statement alleges that around 8:05pm, when they reached the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway near the area opposite Balaka Bhaban under Airport Police Station jurisdiction, several people intercepted them.
The complainant alleged that the attackers identified themselves as members of the Awami League and Bangladesh Chhatra League and threatened the two men by claiming they had bombs. They then allegedly assaulted Suman and his friend.
The attackers subsequently snatched the 200 grams of gold jewellery and fled, according to the complaint.
The case statement says the situation changed after local residents began gathering at the scene. One passer-by allegedly tried to protect the victims, while another reportedly recorded the incident on a mobile phone.
The accused fled with the gold as more people gathered, the complaint alleges.
Suman filed the case with Airport Police Station on 29 August. The case is numbered 46.
Abdur Rouf was named the first accused, while Airport Thana Chhatra Dal President Ripon, Al-Amin Shanto and Airport ward BNP General Secretary Rubel were named as the second, third and fourth accused respectively.
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