Published : 15 Aug 2026, 04:41 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:32 AM
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) operation that allegedly seized nearly Tk 10 million in cocaine in an operation in Dhaka’s Uttara has taken a new turn now that tests have revealed no trace of the drug in the evidence taken into custody.
Accordingly, police have now submitted a final report to the court recommending the acquittal of the two suspects in the case, Saiduzzaman Kajal and Majnu Mia.
On Apr 14, RAB-1 conducted a raid on a business establishment on Road No. 18, Sector No. 7 of Uttara Paschim Thana, arresting the two.
RAB said at the time that 480g of cocaine was found in their possession, with an estimated market value of about Tk 10 million.
RAB-1's Warrant Officer Abdul Halim filed a case under the Narcotics Control Act with Uttara Paschim Police Station on the same day in connection with the incident.
But, after an investigation, Uttara Paschim Police Sub-Inspector (SI) Abu Sayeed submitted a final report to the court on Jul 31, recommending the acquittal of the two suspects.
The investigation report said that permission was sought to send 5 grams of the seized “cocaine” for chemical testing. At the same time, an order was sought to preserve another 5g of the sample as evidence and destroy the rest.
The investigation officer said in the final report that the CID police chemical test did not find the presence of cocaine in the sample.
The report claims that the plaintiff filed the case “based on false information”.
When contacted, investigating officer SI Abu Sayeed told bdnews24.com: "The seized evidence was chemically tested. No cocaine was found in it. I have submitted a report to the court recommending the acquittal of the two suspects due to the factual error."
Asked what the seized evidence was if it was not cocaine, he said: “Ask the court and ask the person who tested the evidence. According to the DMP ordinance, I cannot speak to the media.”
He recommended contacting the police station chief or deputy police commissioner in this regard.
RAB’s Statement
About the situation, plaintiff Halim said: “We did not conduct the lab test. We arrested the suspects during the operation. They admitted to having cocaine. Again, ‘cocaine’ was written on the packet.”
The case statement said that on the afternoon of Apr 14, based on a tip-off, RAB-1 came to know that some drug dealers had taken up positions in areas under the Uttara Paschim Thana “to sell cocaine”.
After that, a RAB team went to the reception room of the office of Fifth Alliance Global Trading Limited. When RAB arrived, Kajal and Majnu “tried to escape” with the bags they were carrying, the statement said.
The case dossier states that when they were later detained and interrogated, they “confessed” to having cocaine in the bag.
The statement states that 480g of “cocaine” was recovered from the bag in Kajal's hand.
Of the two suspects in the case, Majnu is out on bail, while Kajal is in jail.
Kajal's lawyer Nihar Hossain Faruk said, "RAB arrested two people after alleging that cocaine was found. But chemical tests showed that it was not cocaine. My client is in jail. The bail hearing is scheduled for Monday. I hope the court will grant his bail on that day."
The case is scheduled for its next hearing at the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ismail, according to SI Helal Uddin of the prosecution department.
