Detective Branch (DB) police in Rangpur have arrested a dealer of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) on allegations of hoarding commodities intended for Ramadan truck sales and attempting to sell them on the black market.
Following a tip-off, the arrest was made on Saturday at Station Kherbari area of the city. Acting on intelligence information, DB police conducted a raid at an abandoned location where goods were allegedly being stockpiled for illegal sale. The accused dealer, identified as Rubel, was detained during the operation.
According to police, TCB had allocated essential commodities — including dates, sugar, lentils, chickpeas and edible oil — to be sold at fair prices through its Ramadan truck sale programme to benefit low- and middle-income residents. However, investigators allege that the dealer sold only a small portion through the official channel and diverted the remaining goods to the black market, depriving hundreds of residents of access to subsidized products.
Law enforcers recovered 70 kilograms of dates, 150 kilograms of sugar, 650 kilograms of lentils, 150 kilograms of chickpeas and 162 litres of edible oil during the drive.
Habibur Rahman, regional officer of TCB in Rangpur, said the matter came to light through information provided by the National Security Intelligence (NSI). Based on the intelligence report, TCB authorities informed DB police, who subsequently carried out the raid.
He said preparations are underway to file a case against the accused under the Special Powers Act. Authorities are also moving to cancel the dealer’s licence and take further administrative action.
Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan DB Police, Sanatan Chakraborty, confirmed the arrest, stating that legal proceedings against the accused are currently in process.