Police arrested five operatives of an organized gang, who allegedly committed a robbery posing as members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Dhaka’s Kakrail area on December 4, from several areas of Dhaka on Thursday. Besides, a microbus and eight mobile phones used during the robbery were seized. The arrestees included Mohammad Sajjad Hossain, 35, Mohammad Kabir Hossain, 50, Mohammad Sharif, 25, Mohammad Monir Hossain, 40, and, Mohammad Habibur Khandakar, 38, said a media release sent from Dhaka Metropolitan Police. According to a case statement, one Saiful Islam, Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of the Trasmil Company Limited in Demra, was carrying an amount of Tk 26 lakh inside a school bag, which he had withdrawn from a gold jewelry shop in Tantibazar. On the afternoon of December 4, Saiful boarded a bus from Bangshal Chaurasta, intending to go to his house in Badda. As the bus stopped at a traffic signal near Kakrail in Ramna, 10-12 people boarded the bus and identified themselves as members of RAB. One of them was wearing a RAB-branded jacket and had handcuffs and a wireless set in his possession. Read: RAB rescues infant girl abducted from Azimpur during robbery The gang told passengers that a suspect in a case was traveling on the bus. They pointed to Saiful Islam and forcibly dragged him off the bus, and made him get into a white microbus they were using for the robbery, according to the statement. After robbing him, they blindfolded him, bound his hands, and left him on the road in Demra. The victim, Saiful Islam, filed a robbery case at the Ramna Model Thana on December 11, based on which the police launched an investigation. Further investigation, including the analysis of CCTV footage and intelligence gathering, led the police to seize the microbus used in the robbery on Thursday from the ECB Square area in the Cantonment area of Dhaka. The driver, Mohammad Kabir Hossain, was arrested. Based on his information, a raid was conducted at 1:40pm in front of Al Razzak Hotel in Bangshal, leading to the arrest of four more gang members: Sajjad, Sharif, Monir, and Habibur. Eight mobile phones, used in the robbery, were recovered from their possession. During preliminary interrogation, it was revealed that the arrested individuals were active members of a well-organized inter-district robbery gang. They used the identity of law enforcement agencies to carry out robberies across Dhaka and surrounding districts, following a strict chain of command. Read more:13 arrested during attempted robbery in Dhaka's Dhanmondi They addressed their leaders as “Sir” and distributed the loot according to pre-arranged shares. The gang consists of around 10-12 members, each playing specific roles in the execution of robberies. The arrested suspects were sent to court, and the investigation into the case continues. Efforts to recover other stolen goods and arrest remaining gang members are ongoing.

All allegations of enforced disappearance and killing against Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will be investigated, said its Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman on Thursday. "I assure you that as long as I am in charge, RAB will not be involved in any enforced disappearances or killings," he said while speaking at a press conference held at Media Center in Karwran Bazar in Dhaka. A commission is investigating all allegations against RAB, including enforced disappearances and killings, he added, "We are fully cooperating with the commission and we believe that legal actions will be taken based on the investigation reports.” Replying to a question about changing the uniform of the elite force, the top RAB official said, “We are thinking about it as RAB has its own law. We are thinking of making a separate law for RAB and will take necessary measures based on public and media feedback regarding reforms.” Referring to the arrest of the members of elite force involved in mugging, the DG said 16 members of the force were arrested in connection with their alleged involvement in mugging and extortion after August 5. ‘Have patience for restoration of democracy’, says Tarique    Since the establishment of RAB, a total of 58 officers and 4,246 members were brought to book. Mentioning about the challenges faced by the elite force after August 5, the RAB chief said a total of 14,500 accused were arrested while 20,000 illegal arms were seized during this period.  

BNP on Tuesday recommended the abolishment of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and formation of a 'police commission' to build police as a people-friendly law enforcement agency. BNP standing committee member Hafiz Uddin Ahmed came up with the suggestion while placing a number of recommendations over police administration reform at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office in the capital. "It can’t be expected to imagine a state or society without police. So, despite the fact that it (police) has almost become an enemy of people, there is no scope of cutting this force. It must be reformed and strengthened again... To reform this essential service (this force) of the state is now the demand of time," he said. Take legal action against fake freedom fighter allowance recipients: Adviser Azam Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, also the convener of a police administration committee formed by BNP, said Bangladesh was made a police state during the regime of the deposed government but now it needs to bring out the police from that condition. “We’ve come up with various recommendations to infuse a sense in them (police) that the police force must be sensitive towards people, respect people, consider people as the owner of the state and portrait them as servants not lords of people,” he said. A police commission should be there to closely monitor the law enforcement agency and this commission will act as watchdog, he said. An upazila-level citizen committee should be formed with engaging local people in every upazila to observe the activities of police and provide necessary recommendations in this regard, he added. Dr. Abdul Momen appointed chairman of ACC The BNP leader hoped that if their recommendations are implemented, various inconsistencies and irregularities would be removed in the police force. "The relationship between police and people will improve and it will be easier for people to avail the desired services from police," he said. He said BNP has submitted a number of recommendations to the Police Administration Reform Commission for developing the police as a corruption-free and efficient force by ensuring transparency and accountability, which would be more sensitive towards human rights. Rab Abolishment "We recommended abolition of Rab as the force has become much reprehensible internationally... and within the country, they have created a monster... Many murders, incidents of enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings were committed by Rab force,” he said. He said the armed police battalion and the police stations should initially take over the responsibilities Rab now performs and then necessary measures should be taken here. "We think if Rab is abolished at this moment, it would send a good signal (message) to people,” he added. Replying to a question as to why BNP doesn’t seek Rab reform instead of abolishment as the force was formed during its regime, Hafiz Uddin said, "It's also in medical science that when an organ becomes completely gangrenous and destroyed, there is no choice but to amputate it." Rizvi pledges to honour victims of July-August Uprising About the proposed police commission, BNP suggested the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the home affairs ministry to act as the chairman of the commission, and in absence of parliament, a retired justice of the Supreme Court to do it. MPs from the ruling and the opposition parties, university teachers, Supreme Court lawyers, noted personalities should be there in an eight-member commission. Former Home Affairs Secretary SM Zahurul Islam, and two former IGPs Abdul Kaium and Asraful Huda were, among others, present at the press conference.  

The eight-month-old infant, who was abducted during a robbery at a house in Dhaka’s Azimpur area on Friday, has been rescued by the members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) from the capital’s Mohammadpur area. Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab conducted a drive in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area and rescued the baby early Saturday, said a source at Rab headquarters. The elite force also arrested one suspect in this connection. Earlier on Friday, robbers swooped into the house located in Medical Staff Quarters of Azimpur area and looted valuables including cash money from the house. They also abducted the baby while fleeing with the booty. Infant abducted after robbery in Dhaka’s Azimpur Police said a woman had moved into the flat of Farzana Akhter as a sublet tenant the previous day. On Friday morning, two men, posing as the woman’s brothers, arrived and looted valuables including Tk 1.5 lakh in cash and four tolas of gold ornaments from the house after keeping Farzana hostage. Farzana, a resident of the staff quarters and an employee of the Ministry of Home Affairs, lives in the flat with her husband and child.    

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested former chairman of Sirajganj’s Tarash Upazila Md Moniruzzaman Moni from Dhaka’s Dhanmondi. Moniruzzaman was arrested during a joint operation conducted by RAB-2 and RAB-12 at 7:05 m on Tuesday, confirmed A RAB-2 Operations Officer on Wednesday. Barrister Suman put on 5-Day remand He is facing charges in an attempted murder case filed at the Tarash Police Station in Sirajganj, said the RAB official.

Rahim Ullah, former lawmaker from Feni-3, has been arrested from Dhaka’s Dhanmondi in a murder case. A team of RAB-2 arrested him in a case over killing of a three-wheeler driver Zafar Ahmed, 53, during the anti-discrimination student movement in Feni’s Sonagazi, confirmed ASP Imran Khan of RAB Headquarters (media wing). Legal proceedings and the handover process are currently underway following his arrest, added the RAB official. Read more: 3 arrested for disrupting puja at Tantibazar with explosive  

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Mohibur Rahman Manik, a former Member of Parliament for Sunamganj-5, from the Bashundhara residential area of the capital on Tuesday. His arrest is linked to attacks on students and the public during the anti-discrimination student movement in the Sunamganj Sadar area. ASP Imran Khan of RAB headquarters’ media wing confirmed the arrest. Read: DB arrests ex-MP Abdullah Al Jakob from Dhaka's Gulshan A case was registered against Mohibur, aka 'Boma' or 'Bomb' Manik apparently, at the Sunamganj Sadar Police Station following the events of the anti-discrimination protests. The case number is 05/258, filed on August 4, 2024, the eve of the previous regime's fall. The arrested Ex-MP is currently being processed for transfer to the Detective Branch (DB) office in Dhaka for further investigation. Read more: Ex-MP Sultan Mohammad Mansur held at Dhaka airport

Denying any negligence in their duties over the reported escape of ex-home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Lt. Col. Munim Ferdous, chief of RAB's media wing, on Wednesday said it has been performing its duties assigned to it properly. He came up with the remark at a press conference held at RAB's media center in Karwan Bazar in response to a question from reporters over the RAB’s role after a private television channel released a video showing the former home minister strolling through a park in Kolkata. RAB arrests local AL, Jubo League leaders in Meherpur’s Gangni The video sparked widespread debate about the role of law enforcement agencies in preventing the fleeing of ex-ministers or MPs of the ousted government. He said, "We do not want to say there was any carelessness or negligence from RAB. We are fulfilling the responsibilities assigned to us to the best of our abilities. Within our scope of work, we have taken the necessary actions."

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Tuesday arrested another accused, who is a relative of  prime accused Ajmeri Osman in a case over the killing Tanvir Mohammad Twaki, from a bus on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Siddhirganj area of Narayanganj district. The arrestee is Andullah Al Mamun alias Jamai Mamun, 40, son of Abdur Rahim of Barishal district. He is a close relative of Ajmeri Osman, son of AKM Nasim Osman, former lawmaker of Narayanganj-5 constituency. Twaki murder: RAB visits Ajmeri Osman's 'torture cell' in Narayanganj Tipped off, a team of Rab-11 intercepted a Khagrachari-bound bus on Chittagong Road and arrested Mamun early this morning, said a press release of Rab issued on Tuesday afternoon. Seventeen year old Twaki went missing from in front of his house in Narayanganj on March 6, 2013. Rafiur Rabbi, father of Twaki, filed a general diary in this connection. Twaki was later found dead on the banks of the Shitalakhya in Narayanganj on March 8. Then a case was filed with Sadar Model Police Station. Later, RAB's investigation revealed the involvement of Ajmeri Osman, son of Narayanganj late MP Nasim Osman and nephew of former MP Shamim Osman and his associates in the murder of Twaki. Eleven people were directly involved in killing Twaki at a ‘torcher cell’ named ‘Weiner Fashion. Mamun was among them. After the fall of the AL-led government, RAB has so far arrested five people-Yar Mahmud Parvez, Safayet Hussain Shipon, Mamun Mia, Kajal Howladar and Jamshed Sheikh- for their suspected involvement in the murder case. RAB said that all those arrested are close aides of the sons of late Narayanganj MP Nasim Osman and former MP Shamim Osman. Among them, Jamshed Sheikh is Ajmeri Osman's personal driver. Later, Mamun was produced before the court and the court sent him to jail. The court also fixed October 6 for hearing the remand petition, said Court inspector Abdur Rashid.

In a decisive move against gang violence, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have apprehended 35 operatives including two masterminds behind several notorious teen gangs, across key areas of Dhaka. From March 11 to 18, focused operations spanned Mohammadpur, Adabar, Nakhalpara, Tejgaon, and surrounding locales, marking a significant stride in curbing urban crime. The arrest announcement came today via a statement from RAB-2’s Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP-media), Shihab Karim. Among those detained were Md. Akash, Md. Farid, and Md. Imam Hossain, alongside figures like Md. Arif alias Rasel Mia and Md. Mosharraf, pinpointing a wide net cast by law enforcement to dismantle these criminal networks. Train movement between Dhaka and north resumes four hours after derailment in Tangail This crackdown follows reports of rampant robbery, mugging, and extortion, leading to a targeted response from several RAB teams in areas under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) jurisdiction. Notably, operations led to the capture of leaders from the FDC Munna and King Jamal Group, including Md Ismail alias “FDC Munna” and Md Jamal Hossain, as well as heads of the King Mosharraf and Apna Bhai Groups. Authorities also seized locally-made weapons used in these gangs’ criminal endeavours. The arrests reveal a disturbing trend of violence, snatchings, and extortion, with teen gangs frequently clashing over territory and influence. Preliminary interrogations have unearthed admissions of past crimes and plans for future violence, indicating a deep-rooted issue within Dhaka’s underbelly. The arrestees engaged in criminal activities under the guise of everyday professions, from transport workers to vegetable vendors, making their operations not only diverse but challenging to dismantle, said the RAB statement, highlighting the deceptive methods employed by these groups to evade law enforcement. Gazipur gas cylinder blast: Death toll rises to 11 Following their arrest, the teen gang members have been transferred to various police stations across the DMP area for further legal proceedings, signifying the beginning of a lengthy process to bring these individuals to justice.