The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested two people and recovered stolen copper cables linked to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) red telephone connection in connection with a theft at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The arrestees were identified as Ranjan Chandra, 26, and Rezakul Islam, 32.

According to CTTC officials, the theft of the sensitive communication cable recently drew widespread attention on social media and in the news media. Following the incident, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station against unidentified persons.

Considering the importance and sensitivity of the case, CTTC’s City Intelligence Analysis Division launched an investigation, says DMP's DC media SN Nasiruddin.

Based on intelligence inputs and analysis of collected information, investigators detained Ranjan Chandra, an outsourcing employee working at the Secretariat, for questioning on Thursday noon.

During interrogation, Ranjan allegedly confessed to stealing copper cables from Building No. 3 of the Secretariat on May 22. He told investigators that he later sold 8.2 kilograms of the stolen copper wire at a scrap shop in front of Dhaka University’s Ekushey Hall on June 1 at Tk 600 per kilogram.

Acting on his information, a CTTC team conducted a raid and arrested Rezakul Islam from the scrap shop. Investigators later carried out another operation at a scrap warehouse on Hossaini Dalan Road in Chawkbazar, where they recovered the stolen copper cables belonging to the PMO’s red telephone connection, the DC media added.

Preliminary investigation suggests that an organised group may be involved in the theft of various important communication cables at the Secretariat.

The investigation is continuing to identify and bring the alleged masterminds of the network under the law, CTTC officials said.