Abdur Rahman Biswas, a lemon grower along with another farmer Mokshed Ali were returning to their village homes in Saturia under Manikganj district on a pickup truck (Dhaka Metro Na-19-1283) after selling their lemon at a wholesale market at Nimsagar area of Cumilla district on the night of Holy Shab-e-Barat on Sunday.
When their vehicle reached near Cosmos area on Dhaka-Aricha Highway at around 2:15 am, some robbers in guise of Muslim devotes barricaded the pickup truck. All the robbers were in Islamic clothing including Muslim prayer caps.
The robbers started searching bag and body of the farmers as well as the pickup truck driver Solaiman.
Describing the incident, driver Solaiman, son of one Md Khalil, hailing from Boltola village under Saturia Upazila of Manikganj district said, “ I was driving at a speed of around 60 kilometer per hour. As the night was of Holy Shab-e-Barat, I was feeling very secured. Suddenly a speeding bus barricaded me. Four to five persons got down from the bus and threatened to kill us if we don’t give all our valuables to them.”
“Being afraid, I handed over my all cash of around five thousand and a mobile phone to the robbers”, he narrated.
But Abdur Rahman Biswas, one of the two lemon growers, told the robbers that he had no cash with him, and hearing this the robbers started stabbing him mercilessly, he continued.
“After the robbers left, I along with Mokshed, another lemon grower, brought seriously injured Abdur Rahman to nearby Aladins Hospital”, he added.
Shahin Alam Rakib, son of critically injured farmer rushed to the said hospital and brought him and admitted to Enam Medical College Hospital at Savar.
Rakib said, “ There was no surgeon at the Enam Medical College Hospital due to the vacation of the Holy Shab-e-Barat. I later shifted my father to the Savar Specialized Hospital. I conducted and brought a surgeon from the capital Dhaka. Doctors conducted surgery and informed us that the patient is still not out danger.”
Responding to a question, Rakib said, “We’ll file a case after my father is released from the hospital.”
This correspondent texted the details of the incident to the Police Superintendent of Dhaka District Police and Commanding Officer of the elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Later an officer named Abdul Taher from RAB-4 Naninagar camp communicated with victim’s son Rakib.
This correspondent also talked to him.
However, he said that there was no CCTV camera on the spot during the incident. The victim could not describe clearly the whole incident.”
Responding to another question, he claimed that there is no possibility of identifying the criminals.
Abul Hasan, Officer-in-Charge of Savar High Way police said, “Getting information, I had sent Sub-Inspector (SI) Babul Hossain to the spot.”
He suggested this correspondent to talk to the Sub Inspector for details.
However, SI Babul was not informed of the daring robbery.
He rather disclosed another incident of robbery on the same night of the Holy Shab-e-Barat on Dhaka-Aricha Highway near the Savar Cantonment.
He said, “Another trader was returning to Pabna from Bishwa road. Robbers robbed the trader putting a barricade using a bus.”
“I brought the injured trader to Savar Sadar Health Complex for treatment”, he claimed.
He however told that the victim did not file any case in this regard.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, Sirajul Islam Sheikh, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhamrai Police Station said, “ I am not aware of such incident. If the victim comes to file case, we’ll take legal steps.”
According to the drivers and farmers who usually use the Dhaka-Aricha Highway on the night alleged that the highways are become riskier for the traders.
The robbers mainly target the pickup trucks as they know that traders are carrying money after selling their products at various wholesale markets of the country.
They urged law enforcers to enhance vigilance on the highways, especially at night.