Four people, including the ringleader, have been arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) over a daylight robbery involving 105 bhori of gold ornaments and over Tk32 lakh in cash from a house on Mirpur Mazar Road in Dhaka.
During the arrests, RAB recovered a portion of the looted gold, Tk80,000 in cash, and five mobile phones.
RAB-4 Commanding Officer Lt Col Md Mahbub Alam confirmed the arrests at a press briefing on Friday.
According to RAB, on the morning of October 19, the victim, Mohammad Ullah, went to his business establishment at a market in Gabtoli. While he was away, four masked robbers broke into his house. As soon as his wife opened the door, they held her at gunpoint, tied her hands, feet, and mouth, assaulted her, and broke open the locker to loot gold ornaments and cash.
When Mohammad Ullah returned home, he found the locker broken and noticed injuries on his wife’s body. The robbers had made away with 105 tolas of gold ornaments, Tk31.05 lakh, and a mobile phone.
He later filed a robbery case with Darus Salam police station. The incident sparked widespread discussion on social media.
Following the filing of the case, RAB-4 launched a shadow investigation and, using technology, first arrested the mastermind Billal Hossain from the Sadarghat area in Dhaka. Based on his information, RAB-4 and RAB-8 jointly conducted a raid in the Vheduria area of Bhola, where three others were detained.
The arrestees have been identified as mastermind Billal Hossain, Md Hossain alias Sohan, 33, Bokul Bibi, 50, and Kulsum Bibi, 50.
From their possession, RAB recovered one tola and 10 ana of gold ornaments, eight tolas and two ana of city gold jewellery, Tk80,000 in cash, and five mobile phones.
According to RAB, the robbers had gathered detailed information beforehand about the household’s financial status, the quantity of gold ornaments, and the residents’ daily movements. It was a planned and professional robbery carried out by an organised gang.
RAB officials said drives are underway to arrest the remaining members of the gang.
As the incident occurred in broad daylight in a residential area, it caused panic among locals. Security experts say the tendency to keep cash and valuables at home, combined with inadequate security measures, has contributed to an increase in such incidents in Dhaka.
“Security measures should be strengthened not only in busy commercial zones but also in residential buildings and apartment complexes,” they added.
RAB said the arrested individuals have been handed over to the police station concerned, and legal proceedings are underway.
