Five held in Banani over alleged robbery plot

Detectives arrested five people in Banani on Thursday as they were allegedly preparing to commit a robbery, recovering a foreign-made pistol and other equipment from their possession.

The arrests followed a drive by a team of the DB Gulshan Division in front of Khayer Palace in Banani at around 9:30am, acting on a tip-off.

The suspects were identified as Md Masud Rana, 29, Md Rajib Hawlader, 30, Hafizul Matbar, 24, Mohammad Shakil Hossain, 24, and Md Badal, 42.

Additional Police Commissioner (DB) Md Shafiqul Islam disclosed the details at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Thursday.

Police said they recovered a foreign-made pistol, a magazine, a walkie-talkie and a pair of handcuffs bearing the Bangladesh Police emblem from the suspects.

A roll of black Scotch tape, a shopping bag and a microbus were also recovered during the operation.
The recovery of the equipment has prompted investigators to examine whether the five were part of a wider organised criminal group.

Police are also investigating whether the suspects had been involved in any previous crimes.
Meanwhile, drives are underway to identify and arrest other members allegedly involved in the gang, police said.

The arrests came during an ongoing drive by detectives in the capital to identify and apprehend people allegedly involved in criminal activities.