The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has detained the prime accused in a case filed for attempting to murder Dr Sarwar Ali, a trustee of the Liberation War Museum, and members of his family.
Dr Sarwar Ali's former chauffeur Nazmul, the prime accused, was apprehended in Gazipur on Wednesday night.
Md Bashir Ahmed, special superintendent of PBI (Dhaka Metro), confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.
On January 5, assailants swooped on Sarwar and his wife on the third floor of their Uttara residence in Dhaka. They also tried to stab Sarwar's daughter Saima Ali and her husband on the second floor of the same building.
The attackers fled the scene, leaving behind a mobile phone and seven machetes, when two other residents of the building arrived on hearing the victims' cry for help.
On January 13, at a press conference, the PBI said the attack on Sarwar Ali and his family members was a premeditated robbery attempt.
Dr Sarwar Ali | CollectedNazmul, present driver Hafizul Islam, and security guard of his apartment Hasan were among the plotters. However, they did not take part in the robbery attempt. Nazmul hired seven youths to carry out the plan.
The law enforcement agency came to know the plot and the attack after arresting and interrogating Md Farhad, 18, one of the members of the robbers' gang.
"The former driver is also a professional robber. He used to secure jobs at potential victims' houses to draw plans and later sent out his cohorts to commit crimes," Bashir Ahmed told the press conference.
Suspect Farhad was arrested in Dhaka's Uttara area on January 13 as per information gleaned from driver Hafizul Islam and security guard Hasan, who were arrested on the day of the incident on January 5.
A case was filed with Uttara West police station on January 6.
Dr Sarwar Ali and his family had earlier suspected that the attack was planned and carried out by a militant group since the assailants did not rob any money or valuables. Sarwar has always been vocal against anti-liberation elements.
At the press conference, the PBI official said they were yet to find any involvement of militants in the incident.
