7 brokers jailed after RAB raid

Seven members of an alleged broker gang were detained and handed jail terms following a RAB-10 raid at the South Keraniganj Regional Passport Office in Dhaka over complaints of harassment and fraud against service seekers.

The operation was carried out on Thursday morning under the leadership of Executive Magistrate Kazi Tamzid Ahmed of RAB Forces Headquarters, with assistance from RAB-10. The detainees were later sentenced through a RAB mobile court to different terms of imprisonment.

Hanif (40), Usman Faruq Mahim (21), Md Ratul (24) and Sabbir (25) were each awarded 20 days’ imprisonment, while Morad (24) and Abul Hasan (38) received 15 days and Md Arman (45) was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

According to RAB, the group had long been targeting passport applicants by taking money in the name of filling out forms, depositing fees and completing biometric procedures. They allegedly deceived service seekers with promises of faster passport processing.

Tapan Sarkar, Assistant Director (Media) of RAB-10, said the accused admitted to their involvement in fraudulent activities and were sent to jail custody.

He added that similar operations to curb the activities of brokers at government offices would continue.