Rab
Rab nab six alleged robbers in Narayanganj
Rab said on Friday they arrested six members of an alleged inter-district robbery gang including its kingpin, while preparing for robbery from Purbobhabnathpur area under Sonargaon upazila.
The elite force also recovered a foreign pistol, one round of bullet, one Chinese axe and locally made other sharp weapons from the possession of the arrestees during the drive, said a press release signed by Lieutenant Colonel Tanvir Mahmud Pasha, commandant of the Rab-11.
The arrested robbers have been identified as leader Shakawat Hossain Rony, 25 and his accomplices Md Sohail, 32, Md Shahidul Islam, 26, Al Amin, 23, Md Ismail, 38, and Sujoy Dey, 30.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the Rab-11 conducted a drive and arrested the men, said the press release
In the preliminary interrogation, the men confessed to committing robberies at two places of Araihazar upazila in the district on April 6 and 24 this year.
Ringleader Rony admitted that he used to introduce himself as grandmaster of Kachpur’s “Bandhu Dance Academy” and staged dance on several functions including weddings and birthdays, and develop a close relationship with rich people taking advantage as a performer, the press release said.
Read: Robbery & rape in Tangail moving bus: Mastermind among 10 held
Later, the kingpin and his cohorts committed robbery at their targeted houses holding people hostage at gun point.
Moreover, the men have been involved in robberies in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gopalganj and adjoining districts for long, targeting houses of expatriates and rich people, it claimed.
A case related to the incident was filed against the men at the local police station, the release added.
6 ‘members of question leak gang’ held in city
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members have detained six people, including the principal of a nursing college, in connection with leaking questions of nursing exams from different parts of the capital.
The arrestees are Farida Khatun, 51, wife of Mirza Md Shamim from Palong, Shariatpur, Monoara Khatun, 52, wife of Md Abdul Awal from Jafarpur, Chuadanga, Nargis Parvin, 47, , Sirajganj, Kohinur Begum, 65, wife of Md Shafiqur Rahman Sadik from Saghata, Gaibandha, Md Islamil Hossain, 38, son of late Safar Ali from Ghatail, Tangail and Md Ariful Islam, 37, son of Md Riaz Uddin from Kalihati, Tangail.
According to a media release of Rab Headquarters, a team of Rab’s Detective Branch detained them after conducting drives in the capital’s Mohakhali, Azimpur and Dhanmondi areas on Sunday night.
Also read: Question paper leak in primary school teachers exam is rumour: State Minister
The ring used to leak questions of BSc in Nursing exams of DU-affiliated nursing colleges. Their illegal activities were exposed after they leaked the question of Comprehensive Nursing and Pathphysiology exam on August 13.
Farida, Monoara, Nargis and Kohinoor have been the instructors of a nursing college in Dhaka for the last 10 years. Previously, they were members of question paper preparation committees of DU-affiliated nursing colleges.
In 2016, Kohinoor joined a private nursing college as a principal.
Arif is a first year student of a nursing college. Earlier, he was arrested and sent to jail for leaking the question of a Nurse recruitment test in 2017.
Also read: Upazila vice-chairman, 9 others held over ‘govt job question paper leak’ in Dhaka
Farida used to supply questions to Monoara and Nargis who used to provide the questions to Kohinoor. Kohinoor then used to sell the questions with the help of Ismail and Arif.
Legal steps are underway against them, said the media release.
Chapainawabganj: Man held with fake Bangladeshi & Indian currency notes
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Thursday detained a man with Indian fake currency notes worth Rs 1.87 lakh and Bangladeshi fake currency notes worth Tk 11,950 from Shibganj upazila in Chapainawabganj.
The detainee has been identified as Shamim, 40, a resident of the upazila.
Read:Man held with drugs, foreign currencies in city
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-5 from Chapainawabganj camp conducted a drive in front of Sonamasjid Degree College in Shahbazpur of the upazila around 10pm and detained Shamim with the Indian and Bangladeshi fake currency notes, Rab-5 said in a press briefing.
Steps are underway to file a case at Shibganj police station against the detainee, said Rab sources.
Six human traffickers arrested in Narayanganj: Rab
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) said on Friday they arrested six members of a human trafficking gang foiling their bid to smuggle three young women out to India with promises of lucrative jobs.
The arrests were made at Siddhirganj upazila in Narayanganj district.
The arrestees were identified as Jhuma Akter, 28, Sharmin Akter, 29, Minara Rina, 35, Rabeya Akter, 27, Komly Khatun, 32, and Shahjamal, 40.
The Rab also recovered several mobile phone sets and debit cards of the targeted women from the possession of the arrestees during the drive, Lieutenant Colonel Tanvir Mahmud Pasha, captain of the Rab-11 told a press conference in the district on Friday noon.
The human traffickers took a woman to Benapole boarder to try to take her to neighbouring India. She was promised a job at a beauty parlour across the border with a handsome salary.
Realising the trap the woman somehow escaped from the alleged traffickers and returned to Narayanganj where she lodged a written complaint against them at the headquarters of the Rab-11 on Thursday afternoon.
Read: International human trafficking gang member held in Meherpur
As per the complaint, the elite force conducted a drive in Mijmiji Batanparra area of the upazila and arrested the human traffickers. Rab rescued another two women from their custody, he said.
The Rab officer said the traffickers usually target poor women alluring them with jobs and better life abroad.
A case related to the incident was filed at the local police station and the arrestees were sent to a court, he added.
'Operation Sundarban’ to hit the theatres on September 23
Projecting the courageous and breathtaking role of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)'s historical operations to defeat the pirates of the Sundarbans, acclaimed director Dipankar Dipon directed 'Operation Sundarban' is set for release on September 23 this year.
The official trailer of the much-anticipated action thriller film, produced by RAB Welfare Cooperative Society Limited, was released at a gala event on Friday night at the Laboni Point in the Cox’s Bazar sea beach, where the makers announced the release date of the film.
The 2-minute and 40-second trailer of the film featured Dhallywood's celebrated superstar Riaz Ahmed, Siam Ahmed, Nusraat Faria, Ziaul Roshan, Shatabdi Wadud and others in the setting of the film at Sundarbans as the important characters, and the trailer is earning appraisal from audiences for showcasing the commendable narrative of the film’s remarkable plot, history and facts, alongside the breathtaking visuals.
Also read: Wind of 'Hawa' blows full
Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Benazir Ahmed attended the trailer launching event as the chief guest while RAB Director General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun joined as the special guest, alongside director Dipon and other higher officials and the cast members of the film.
“Not only a wonderful documentation of history, but "Operation Sundarban" is the success story of solving a four hundred years old-problem. Without proper documentation, the glorious tale of our operation against the pirates in the Sundarbans would remain untold. From that perspective, we took the initiative, and Dipon made justice with proper research and development for this film," Benazir Ahmed said.
Regarding his long-anticipated film, Dipankar Dipon said, “Our film is depicting this amazing story with the involvement of our 1,300 cast and crew members, narrating the saga of the mission against the water pirates and the aftermath of their post-pirate life, as well as the livelihood of the natives living around Sundarban. Without the cordial cooperation of RAB members and other elite forces officials, alongside the people of Sundarbans - this film would not see the daylight."
Under the supervision of RAB, the shooting of the film has taken place in multiple remote areas in the Sundarbans.
Actor Siam Ahmed, alongside Ziaul Roshan, Riaz Ahmed and others have undergone special training sessions from RAB before the shooting in he Sundarbans and were seen taking part in various expeditions on water, land, and air in the trailer.
Also read: DB quizzes Hero Alom for controversial video content
'Operation Sundarban,' was initially scheduled to be released during Eid-ul-Adha in 2020, which got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The film was then scheduled to be released on Eid-ul-Adha in 2021, however that date was also pushed back.
Alongside Riaz, Siam, Nusraat Faria and Roshan, the film also features Raisul Islam Asad, Shatabdi Wadud, Manoj Pramanik, Taskeen Rahman, Rawnak Hasan, Arman Parvez Murad and Indian-Bengali actress Darshana Banik in other important characters.
Rab nabs 4, including cop, with Yaba pills in Ctg
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested four people, including a cop, with 5,260 pieces of Yaba at Chattogram medical college area in the port city on Thursday night.
The arrestees were identified as Upal Chakma, 45, a constable of special branch of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), his accomplices Nantu Dash, 42, Md Kamrul Islam, 30, and Md Gias Uddin, 42.
Mokhlesur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (DC-north) of the CMP, said on Friday that on secret information Rab members conducted a drive in front of a restaurant in the medical college area at around 10:45pm.
He said the members of the elite force found the Yaba pills from the possession of the four men.
Also Read: One lakh Yaba pills seized in Cox’s Bazar
Md Shahidul Islam, Deputy Assistant Director of Rab-7, filed a case related to drug peddling against the four suspects at the local police station, the DC added.
Quack held in Khulna
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has claimed to have detained a quack from Koyra upazila of Khulna.
Posing as a medical doctor, the accused, Mubarak Hossain, had been treating patients in the Orjunpur area of the upazila, according to a Rab release.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-6 conducted a drive in the area around 6pm on Monday and detained Mubarak.
Also read: Quack killed as truck runs over him in Munshiganj
The elite force also seized prescriptions, fake seals and pads from his possession.
Earlier, he was convicted for practicing without a medical degree by a mobile court in Barishal, the release added.
5 held for black marketing of train tickets at Dhaka railway station
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has detained five men from the city's Kamalapur Railway Station for alleged black marketing of train tickets ahead of Eid.
Acting on a tip-off that a group was selling tickets of different trains at inflated prices taking advantage of the Eid rush, a Rab-3 team conducted a drive at the railway station at 8.45 pm Monday and detained the men.
The detainees were identified as Md Liton Mia, 37, Md Shah Lam, 34, Md Imran, 20, Md Abu Taher, 26, and Md Zahidur Rahman Shakib, 40, Rab-3 said in a release Tuesday.
Also read: Two RNB members held for selling tickets in black market
Four train tickets and Tk 6,927 in cash were seized from the detainees, said Rab-3. During questioning, the accused admitted to the crime.
Legal action will be taken against the detainees, said the release.
Also read: Measures to be taken if complaints found over Eid online ticketing: Minister
Many people over-exaggerating impact of sanctions: US ambassador
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas thinks that many people are “over-exaggerating” the impact of the sanctions imposed on the elite force Rab and some officials but acknowledges that it did have an impact on the overall relations.
“Yes, the sanctions did have an impact. I think many people are over-exaggerating the impact because the relationship we have is so broad and we deal with so many issues,” he told Voice of America Bangla Service in an interview at the US Department of State.
He said the sanctions is one issue but they continue to work very closely under the security front.
Ambassador Haas said the US stopped providing training to the Rab in 2018 because of concerns as they want to see accountability for the past human rights violations and to reform the Rab so that it does not repeat the same.
On December 10, 2021, Human Rights Day, the United States imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion and some of its serving as well as former officials, based on what the US said was "credible evidence" of serious human rights abuses.
The US envoy said over the past few months the two countries had partnership dialogue, security dialogue, military partnership and high level economic dialogue. “We are cooperating deeply and aggressively on those fronts.”
The US ambassador reiterated the importance of free media and the challenges in Bangladesh.
He said the government-to-government relationship is important but businesses, education and family ties are far more important.
This year, 2022, Bangladesh and the United States are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken kicked off a busy program of engagements for the year ahead by marking the milestone during their meeting on April 4 in Washington, DC.
Also read: Will be happy if sanctions on Rab withdrawn: FM
2 rape accused held by Rab in Cox’s Bazar
Rab on Friday arrested two men in connection with a case over an attempted rape of a Rohingya girl from Dulahazara area under Chakaria upazila of Cox’s Bazar.
The arrestees have been identified as Md Mahbub, 32, of Chakaria’s Ringvong area and Shah Emran, 35,of Rajghat area under Chattogram’s Lohagara upazila.
According to Rab, the girl is a Rohingya refugee from Kutupalong Camp No 1 in Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar. She fled from the camp and arrived in Chattogram city in search of work on February 5, 2022.
Also read: Man wanted for triple murder held in Sherpur
Failing to find work, she was returning to the camp by a bus on February 11, 2022. The supervisor of the bus ditched her at the Chakaria Bus Terminal as she couldn’t pay the fare.
There, staff from another bus agreed to take her to the camp. She was taken to Batakhali Bridge area under Chakaria municipality in an empty bus and an attempt was made to rape her by the driver, the supervisor and the helper of the bus.
Also read: Driver among 4 held for raping a girl in Chattogram
Locals rescued the girl after hearing her scream and apprehended the helper of the bus while the driver and the supervisor managed to flee. Later, the girl lodged a case with Chakaria police station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, based on which today’s arrests were made.
The arrestees have confessed their crimes and they’ve been handed over to the local police for further legal procedures.