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.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested five people who operates teen gangs from Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area on Friday (February 09, 2024). The arrestees were identified as Zulfiker Ali, 37,a ringleader of the operator of teen gang of Jamalpur,  Harun-or Rashid, 38 of Mymensingh,  Shamsuddin Bepari, 48 of Bhola, Krishna Chandra Das, 28 of Munshiganj and Suruj Mia, 30 of Mymensingh districts. Tipped off, a team of Rab-3 conducted a drive in Mohammadia Housing Society and arrested the five people including ringleader Zulfiker who operate two teen gangs ‘Diamond’ and ‘De Dhakka’, on Friday night, said Azhar Hossain, assistant superintendent of police. Read: Subarnachar gang rape: Another accused arrested The elite force also seized one foreign made pistol, one magazine, two sharp weapons and seven knives from the possession. After primary interrogation, police came to know that they had long been involved in engaging drug addicts or teens in different criminal activities including arms and drug business, mugging, extortion, abduction, robbery and land occupation after alluring them of giving money, said Azhar. The teen members of Zulfiker’s gangs were involved in mugging. Read: 2 more arrested over rape on JU campus 

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested two alleged drug dealers, including a teenaged girl, and recovered nearly 2000 yaba pills that they had swallowed to avoid detection by law enforcers, from the Sher-e-Banglanagar area of the capital on Sunday night. The arrestees were identified as Md Russel (26) and his accomplice Sanjida Akhtar (18) . 2 people killed in separate road accidents in Chattogram An operational team of Rab-2 battalion headquarters obtained information on Sunday night at around 10:35 pm that two drug dealers were coming to Dhaka with a consignment of drugs. Based on the information, the operational team of the elite force set up a check post on the street in front of Pangu Hospital under Sherebangla Nagar police station. While they were implementing a search of a passenger bus, two passengers towards the back of the bus started acting very suspiciously and were detained for questioning. During interrogation, Russel admitted that he was carrying yaba in his stomach. BGB arrests man with 70,000 Yaba pills in Cox’s Bazar Russell was then taken to Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, where further tests including an X-ray revealed the presence of a palm-shaped polythene-wrapped yaba packets in the stomach of arrested Russel. Once the existence of yaba was confirmed, Russel was officially shown-arrested and medics removed 38 of the packets described above from his stomach through the anus. Each of these potla contained 50 yaba, giving a total of 1900 yaba obtained from Russel. Meanwhile Sanjida was suspected of wearing fake hair extensions when she was searched by two female members of RAB. Eventually a single packet of 50 pills was found and extracted from her hair. 2.60 lakh yaba pills, 1.05 kg crystal meth seized in Cox’s Bazar During preliminary interrogation, it was also learned that the arrested Russel collected yaba from the Cox's Bazar frontier. He also revealed that he used to take small plastic wrapped yaba pills inside his stomach through drinking juice and food items to help swallow it down.

M Khurshid Hossain, Director General (DG) of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has said those trying to obstruct voters from casting ballots will be resisted as voting is a constitutional right. Alongside other law enforcing agencies, the elite force will perform their duties in a coordinated way to ensure smooth movement of voters to the polling centers, he said while speaking at a press briefing held at Khulna RAB-6 office on Tuesday (January 02, 2024). Half of the polling centers in Dhaka considered ‘vulnerable’: DMP Commissioner RAB will remain in the field before, on election day and after to maintain law and order, he also said. Besides, RAB is closely monitoring the situation to prevent any kind of sabotage or violence centering the election, said the RAB DG. 25 temporary camps to be set up across country ahead of polls:  RAB

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested a local Jubo Dal leader from Chandgaon area of Chattogram city early today (November 28, 2023) for his suspected involvement in police constable Amirul’s killing on October 28 during BNP’s grand rally in Dhaka. Read: Ctg BNP leader arrested on eve of Oct. 28 rally dies of 'heart attack' in jail Murad Chowdhury, general secretary of Chattogram north district Jubo Dal, was arrested around 1 am on Tuesday, said Nurul Afsar, senior assistant director of RAB-7. Later, RAB handed him over to the police, he said. Read: 721 arrested by RAB on charges of sabotage since Oct 28 Jubo Dal leader Murad Chowdhury, along with his followers, took part in BNP’s grand rally in Naya Paltan area of Dhaka on October 28, RAB informed.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Sunday arrested a total of 20 people from different parts of the country in connection with car vandalism, arson and sabotage. So far, from October 28, RAB arrested a total of 370 people involved in violence and sabotage in different parts of the country, said Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Rab headquarter's media wing Imran Khan. 152 BGB platoons deployed across the country amid BNP-Jamaat's latest blockade RAB forces arrested Feni District Juba Dal President Zakir Hossain and Chapainawabganj District Chhatra Dal President Yusuf Ali from Chapainawabganj Sadar area for their suspected involvement in police constable Amirul killing. Fire Service records 9 arson attacks in the country in 10 hrs Besides, Feni district Jubo Dal general secretary Nasir Uddin, Bogra district BNP joint convener Mizanur Rahman, Jhenaidah district BNP joint convener Shaon and Manikganj's Ghior thana BNP vice-president Billal Hossain were arrested in connection with the cocktail bomb blast and sabotage case in Islampur area under Feni model police station. RAB arrests 26 for political violence, sabotage More than 150 RAB patrol teams have been deployed in the capital and more than 450 patrol teams have been deployed across the country to prevent violence and sabotage and to maintain law and order situation in the country.

The High Court today (October 15, 2023) expressed dissatisfaction over the probe report submitted by the high-level investigation committee on the death of Union land office employee Sultana Jasmine in RAB custody in Naogaon. "The report is unclear," the High Court said. “It did not include anything regarding the process of detaining Sultana Jasmine. The report also failed to say whether her relatives were informed after her (Jasmine) detention. Therefore, the court is not satisfied with the report.” Also read: HC grants 2 more months for probe into Jasmine’s death in RAB Custody The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Muhammad Mahbub-ul-Islam made the remarks on Sunday. Later, the High Court bench directed the preparation of the rule for the upcoming hearing on this matter. The court scheduled the hearing for the rule for November 29.      Advocate Manoj Kumar Bhowmick appeared for the writ petitioner in the court. Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas, Assistant Attorney General Abul Kalam Khan Dawood and Assistant Attorney General Taufiq Sajwar Partha were present on behalf of the state. Also read: Death in Custody: RAB quizzes Jasmine's son and brother-in-law Advocate Manoj Kumar Bhowmick said the High Court was dissatisfied over the probe report as some key information was missing from the report. Earlier on May 22, the Cabinet Division formed a high-level investigation committee to investigate the death of land office employee Sultana Jasmine in RAB custody in Naogaon based on the High Court’s directive. The High Court ordered the committee to complete the investigation and submit its report within 60 days. On August 14, the committee submitted a 302-page report to the High Court. Also read: Sultana Jasmine died from brain hemorrhage: postmortem report Union land office employee Sultana was detained by RAB from Muktirmor area of Naogaon city on March 22. She was admitted to Naogaon hospital the same day after she fell ill and later died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on March 24. According to the postmortem report submitted by the Forensic Department of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Sultana Jasmine died from brain haemorrhage. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said Jasmine was arrested for interrogation as there was an accusation of fraudulence against her. Also read: Calls grow for judicial investigation of Jasmine's death in custody

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) say they have arrested three members of the militant group, Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, including its Ameer, Md Anisur Rahman, from Munshiganj's Louhajang upazila early today (July 24, 2023). The identities of the other operatives were not disclosed by the law enforcers. Read: 2 arrested for detonating homemade explosive on Dhanmondi 32 Acting on a tip-off, a RAB team conducted a drive in Boronopara village in Louhajang upazila around 3 am and arrested the three men, ANM Imran Khan, assistant director of RAB's Legal and Media wing, said. During the drive, the RAB team also recovered firearms and explosives from the alleged Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya operatives, he added. Read: Land dealer Ekhlas killing: DB arrests 5 suspects including industrialist mastermind Details are set to be disclosed at a media briefing at RAB's media centre in Dhaka at 11:30 am.

The cause behind the explosion in the 5-storey Gulistan building will be known after examining the samples collected from the site, said Major Morshed Alam, director of bomb disposal unit of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab). “Primary samples were collected from the blast site and sent to laboratory for test and the actual reason behind the explosion could be known after examining the samples,” he said. “We entered the damaged building carefully and it appeared that it is not an incident of fire, it’s an explosion. The level of explosion was huge,”Major Morshed said. There might be multiple reasons including leakage of gas pipeline behind the blast and there is a little possibility of air conditioner blast, he said. Besides, a dog squad team is working there to check whether there is any existence of human alive or dead inside the building, said Morshed. Also read: Gulistan blast: Rescue operation begins for the second day Earlier, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 others injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area. Among the injured, 11 people have been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Three firefighting units resumed the rescue operation around 9 am, said Khaleda Yeasmin, duty officer of the Fire Service Control Room, around 11 am. A four-member probe body headed by Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Operation and maintenance), has been formed to look into the explosion . The committee has been asked to submit its report within five working days, said Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Additional Director of Fire service and Civil Defense headquarters media cell. END/UNB/MJ-MAS/FH

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained two members of banned extremist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad Bangladesh (HuJI-B) from the capital's Malibagh on Monday. The detainees were identified as Abdul Kuddus, 57, son of Amir Ali Molla and Sirajul Islam alias Salauddin, 35, son of Sekendar Molla of Jashore district. Tipped off that a group of militants were holding clandestine meeting, a team of Rab-3 conducted a drive in the area on Sunday night and arrested them, said a press release of Rab. Abdul Kuddus was the regional and central coordinator of Jashore district unit HuJI-B. He was also served in jail for 10 years and two months in a case filed with Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station in 2007, said the press release. Also read: Fugitive convict arrested after 13 years: RAB After releasing from jail in 2018, Kuddus got involved in the organizing activities of HuJI-B and he also succeed in making a strong militant organisation by 2022, it said. Besides, Sirajul used to work as a security guard of Jashore Cold Storage since 2001 and joined as a member of the militant group in 2001. Sirajul was the main recruiter of Jashore district HuJI-B and served at the economic branch of the organisation. He used to work as a painter and in guise of painter he conducts all necessary intelligence surveillance. In 2010, a case under Explosive Act was filed against him with Jashore Kotwali Police Station and police arrested him in 2011. In 2012, he secured bail from the case and since then he conducted his activities.