Published : 15 Aug 2026, 08:32 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:33 AM
Eight people were directly involved in the machete attack and robbery of Tk 12.1 million from employees of DL Filling Station on their way to a bank in Dhaka’s Uttara, police have said.
Following the arrest of five suspects, three of whom directly took part in the incident, the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said Tk 1.2 million of the stolen funds had been recovered.
Operations are under way to apprehend the remaining suspects and retrieve the outstanding cash.
The five men were arrested on Friday during raids across different areas in Narayanganj and Dhaka.
Police identified the four arrestees as Md Elias Shikder, 36, Md Rabiul Islam alias Rubel, 34, Mintu Rari, 23, and Sagar Baroi, 40.
Another arrestee, 36-year-old Jafar, has been identified by a single name.
Officers seized four 7.65mm pistols, six magazines, 21 rounds of ammunition, the recovered cash, counterfeit Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) identity cards, tactical vests, caps, walkie-talkies, handcuffs, several fake vehicle registration plates, and a motorbike during the operation.
The robbery occurred on Sunday morning outside the Crown Plaza on Airport Road.
The filling station is owned by Tasin Akhtar Haque, a cousin of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
His late mother Khurshid Jahan Haque was former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s elder sister.
Abdul Karim, manager of the petrol station, lodged a case at Airport Police Station against six to seven unidentified individuals following the incident.
The case statement said Assistant Manager Mohammad Al Amin, accompanied by CNG operator Salimuzzaman and covered-van driver Khorshed, was carrying a bag of cash to a branch of Pubali Bank in Sector 1, Uttara.
En route, six to seven men riding three motorcycles intercepted the vehicle.
Holding the occupants at gunpoint, the attackers attacked Al Amin with a machete, seized the cash bag, and fled towards Abdullahpur.
Speaking at a media briefing a week after the attack on Saturday, DB Additional Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said the arrests followed a continuous investigation, beginning with the detention of Elias and Jafar in Narayanganj’s Siddhirganj.
Based on information obtained during interrogation, police subsequently arrested Rubel in Matuail and Mintu in Jatrabari.
Officers recovered Tk 300,000 of the stolen money from Rubel's rented house.
Sagar was later arrested in Postogola with Tk 900,000 of the looted funds in his possession.
The DB chief noted that Sagar is a top criminal facing 13 prior charges.
"He has previously executed similar robberies in Dhaka, targeting individuals transporting cash from financial institutions using motorcycles and microbuses," Shafiqul said.
He added that Rubel faces four prior charges, Mintu three, Jafar two, and Elias one.
"Around six to seven others were involved, and more money remains to be recovered," the DB officer told reporters. "We observed eight individuals on CCTV footage, though suspects indicated there were two more involved."
Shafiqul said the stolen cash was divided immediately after the robbery.
"The ringleaders took the largest share, while accomplices who provided operational support received proportional amounts.
“Our analysis reveals that those named are linked to multiple offences across Dhaka, and the remaining suspects also carry extensive criminal records."
He, however, confirmed that the mastermind who organised the heist remains at large.
"Dismantling this gang will significantly curb this specific pattern of armed robbery in the city," Shafiqul added. "Sagar has 13 cases against him, and we believe the main organiser faces more than 20."
Police declined to disclose the full identities of the mastermind and remaining suspects, citing the ongoing investigation and efforts to make further arrests.
