Two people, including the alleged mastermind, have been arrested in connection with the death of a primary school headteacher who fell from a moving rickshaw during a bag-snatching attempt near Bangladesh’s National Parliament complex in Dhaka.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) made the arrests and seized the motorcycle allegedly used in the incident, according to a press release issued on Sunday (30 August).
The main suspect has been identified as Mohammad Poni, also known as Poni. The identity of the second person arrested with him was not immediately disclosed by the law enforcement authorities.
The fatal incident took place at around 6.30am on Saturday (29 August) on a road beside the South Plaza of the National Parliament complex. The victim, Mosa. Ranjina Parveen, 50, was the headteacher of Bagbari Girls Government Primary School in Bogura.
According to information provided by RAB and the victim’s family, Ranjina had travelled to Dhaka from Bogura for eye treatment. She arrived at Gabtoli by bus early on Saturday and then took a rickshaw to reach Islamia Eye Hospital in Farmgate.
While the rickshaw was passing the South Plaza area, a motorcycle carrying suspected snatchers approached from behind. The suspects allegedly grabbed the vanity bag Ranjina was carrying and pulled it forcefully.
The sudden tug caused her to lose her balance and fall from the moving rickshaw onto the paved road. She suffered a severe head injury and began bleeding heavily.
People nearby rescued her in a critical condition and rushed her to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. Doctors on duty examined her and declared her dead.
Following the incident, law enforcement agencies began efforts to identify those involved. Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Ibn-e-Mizan had earlier said that investigators were examining closed-circuit television footage from cameras installed around the area to identify the suspects.
The CCTV footage and other investigative leads subsequently helped investigators trace the suspected offenders, according to RAB. RAB-2 later arrested Poni and another alleged accomplice and seized the motorcycle believed to have been used during the snatching.
The authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the second suspect or the alleged role of each person in the incident. The investigation is expected to establish how the group carried out the snatching and whether anyone else was involved.
Ranjina was travelling to Dhaka for medical treatment when the incident occurred. What began as an early-morning journey from Bogura ended in her death after the forceful attempt to take her bag caused her to fall from the moving rickshaw.
The case has also brought renewed attention to the dangers associated with snatching from moving vehicles. In this incident, the victim did not appear to be directly targeted for physical confrontation; however, the force used to take her belongings resulted in a fatal fall.
