In a shocking turn of events, five law enforcement officers, including a police officer and four constables from the Detective Branch of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP), were arrested in Bogura on charges of abduction and extortion. The arrests were made by a patrol team from the Kundarhat Police Outpost on the morning of March 24, 2025, in the Birgram area of Shajahanpur upazila, Bogura District.
The detained individuals include Sub-Inspector Shahin Mohammad Anu Islam, and constables Ripon Mia, Abul Kalam Azad, Mahbub Alam, and Bashir Ali. Their driver, Mehdi Hasan, was also arrested in connection with the crime and named in a case filed with Dhunat Police Station. Additionally, Constable Wahab from the Detective Branch, who is implicated in the same case, was taken into RMP custody. He is expected to be brought to Bogura later this morning for further questioning.
The incident came to light when the father of one of the victims, Selim Sheikh, filed a complaint against the officers. In a statement confirmed by both Zedan Al Musa, the Superintendent of Police in Bogura, and Mainul Islam, the Deputy Commissioner of the RMP’s Detective Branch, the police operation was described as a brazen abuse of authority. The arrested officers, who had no scheduled duties that evening, are said to have used an unauthorized rented microbus to carry out the abduction.
The victims, Rabbi Sheikh and Jahangir, were kidnapped from Dighalkandi village in Dhunat upazila on the night of Sunday, March 23. The police officers, falsely accusing the men of gambling, drove them to the Mirzapur area of Sherpur upazila. There, they demanded a ransom of 12 lakh taka. The victims' families, desperate to free them, managed to pay 2 lakh taka in cash and an additional 1.3 lakh taka via mobile banking before their loved ones were released early on March 24.
Inspector Monowaruzzaman, who heads the Kundarhat Police Station, shared details about the investigation. He explained that the victims' families, realizing the severity of the situation, chased after the abductors on motorcycles. They informed the patrol team from the Kundarhat Police Outpost, who promptly intercepted the suspects' microbus in the Birgram area of Shajahanpur upazila. During the arrest, the police recovered 2 lakh taka in ransom money, along with walkie-talkies, DB police jackets, mobile phones, handcuffs, and the microbus.
RMP’s Deputy Commissioner Mainul Islam, speaking about the arrest, revealed troubling details about the officers' actions. He mentioned that SI Shahin Mohammad Anu and his team had been present at the RMP office the previous evening, despite having no scheduled duties. Additionally, Constable Bashir Ali, who was part of the abduction, had not even been assigned to the RMP’s Detective Branch. Just five days before the incident, Ali had been transferred to the Rajshahi University Police Outpost.
Islam explained that the officers had traveled from Rajshahi to Bogura based on information provided by Constable Wahab, who had ties to the Dhunat upazila police. Wahab is currently in RMP custody and is set to face further questioning.
The entire episode highlights not only the corruption within the law enforcement ranks but also the critical role of local police teams in swiftly responding to criminal activity. The timely intervention of the Kundarhat Police Outpost and the vigilance of the victims' families helped bring the perpetrators to justice.