Six men, including a law student, planned the May 7 heist of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited’s Muradpur branch in Chittagong a month earlier, police said yesterday.
Of them, four – Arif, Gias, Sagor and Mahbubul – have been arrested but the other two – Raihan, a student of law at a private university who masterminded the crime, and Masud - are in hiding, said Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal at a press conference at the CMP headquarters.
“Arif and Gias were arrested from Chittagong’s Bakalia area on May 12 while Sagor and Mahbubul from Ostogram area of Kishoreganj on May 13 night.”
Police said the bank’s security system was poor which tempted the gang to rob the bank and the security guard was killed as he shouted after being attacked.
Seeking anonymity, several CMP officials said an Awami League leader pressured police to release Gias, who led the robbery and is also an acolyte of a central leader of the ruling party.
But the CMP commissioner said he had not faced any such pressure, adding that no request made in favour of criminals would be entertained.
The heist bid made on the night of May 7 was unsuccessful but the robbers killed the bank’s watchman, Md Ibrahim, before leaving. Police recovered the body the next morning.
Senior Officer of the bank, Ali Newaz, filed a case with Panchlaish police station on May 9 against three to four unidentified persons in connection with the robbery attempt and the investigation was handed over to the Detective Branch of the CMP on the same day.
DB Additional Deputy Commissioner, Tanvir Arafat, told the Dhaka Tribune that Raihan, after drawing up the robbery plan a month earlier, shared it with Gias, also a Jubo League leader.
“Gias later included the four others in the plan and sent them to visit the bank frequently. They also visited the bank on May 7 during the opening hours. They collected two knives and an iron rod from Chittagong New Market to use during the operation.
“Mahbubul, Masud and Sagor were directly involved in Ibrahim’s murder while Gias and Raihan were waiting on two motorcycles outside the bank. Arif later allowed them shelter in his house,” he said.
Sagor took Ibrahim’s mobile phone after the killing and tried to break into the vault after failing to steal money from the cash desk but failed.
The three left the bank after 40 minutes, said Tanvir.
“Except the CCTV cameras, the bank’s security arrangements were lax and even locks of the windows at the back did not work properly. The robbers entered the bank through the windows.”
The arrestees were produced before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Nur-e-Alam Bhuiyan yesterday.
