A group of armed robbers looted passengers at gunpoint on the Eidgaon-Eidgarh-Baishari road in Cox’s Bazar in broad daylight on Monday, targeting at least 50 to 60 vehicles, mostly CNG-run auto-rickshaws and motorcycles.
The incidents took place in two phases at a spot known as Himchhari Dhala, along the hilly road through Eidgaon and Ramu upazilas. The robbers reportedly looted cash, mobile phones and other valuables from more than 100 passengers.
According to witnesses, the robberies occurred around 8am and noon and continued for approximately two and a half hours.
Victims said 10 to 12 armed, masked men intercepted vehicles, held passengers at gunpoint and dragged them into a nearby forest, where they were beaten and robbed. They said there was no police patrol in the area during the incidents.
Md Rabiul Islam, a manager at the Eidgarh branch of a non-governmental organisation, said he was travelling by motorcycle from Eidgaon Bazar to Eidgarh with a companion around noon, carrying Tk120,000.
When they reached Himchhari Dhala, 10 to 12 armed, masked men stopped their motorcycle and took them into the forest, where they were beaten. The robbers searched them and seized the cash, two mobile phones and various documents before releasing them.
Rabiul said the robbers held more than 100 passengers travelling in 50 to 60 auto-rickshaws and motorcycles hostage for nearly two hours.
Police arrived at the scene around 3pm and launched an operation but could not arrest anyone. He also said there had been no police patrol on the road during the robberies.
Abdul Hakim, an accountant at a private organisation’s Eidgarh branch, said he was travelling with two others in an auto-rickshaw from Eidgaon Bazar to Eidgarh Bazar when robbers held them at gunpoint and took them into the forest.
The robbers beat them and stole Tk150,000 and a bank cheque book, he said.
Hakim said robberies were frequent on the road and kidnappings for ransom were also common, but effective measures to ensure passengers’ safety were lacking.
Mohammad Tareq, a resident of Eidgarh who was also targeted, said he was travelling from Eidgaon to Eidgarh in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw with four other passengers around 6:30am on Monday.
When the vehicle reached Himchhari Dhala, robbers intercepted it and snatched his mobile phone. Fearing for his life, Tareq jumped from the moving auto-rickshaw and escaped.
ATM Sifatul Mazdar, officer-in-charge of Eidgaon police station, said local miscreants had set up roadblocks, looted vehicles and fled into the forest.
“Multiple police teams are conducting operations to apprehend them, though no arrests had been made as of this evening,” he said.
He added that patrols had been intensified in the dense forest areas along the 17-kilometre Eidgaon-Eidgarh-Baishari road.