Two detained suspects ‘confess’ to robbery, sexual assault on moving bus

The court places another arrestee on a five-day remand

Two of the three individuals arrested in the case over the robbery and "sexual assault" of female passengers on a Rajshahi-bound Unique Road Royals bus from Dhaka have given "confessional" statements to the court.

The court placed the other accused on a five-day remand, said District Detective Police Sub-Inspector Ahsanuzzaman, the investigating officer of the case.

Tangail Senior Judicial Magistrate Naureen Karim recorded the statements from 2pm to 7pm on Saturday, he said.

The two who gave statements are 30-year-old Mohammad Sabuj from Shariatpur's Zajira Upazila and 28-year-old Sharifuzzaman from Dhaka's Savar.

The other suspect is 30-year-old Shahidul Islam Muhit from Manikganj's Daulatpur Upazila.

Ahsanuzzaman said Muhit has five other criminal cases against him, including two related to bus robberies.

In their confessional statements, the two said that apart from Muhit and the two of them, four others, including their brothers-in-law, were involved in the robbery and sexual assault.

"During the robbery, they sexually harassed two female passengers while looting their jewellery."

The three were arrested in Dhaka’s Savar on Friday night. Three mobile phones, a knife, and Tk 29,370 were seized from them.

Tangail's Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman said, "Three people were arrested within 14 hours of the case’s initiation. Efforts are being made to arrest the others."