A midnight journey turned into a night of terror for dozens of commuters when an armed gang raided a long-distance passenger bus on the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road, holding the driver at knifepoint before stripping at least 25 passengers of their cash and mobile phones.
The robbery took place at around 3:00 am on Saturday near the Bhuigarh Bus Stand in Fatullah. The targeted vehicle, a Sifat Paribahan service bearing registration number Dhaka Metro-BA-13-2444, had set off from Jamalpur at approximately 10:00 pm on Friday, bound for Narayanganj. By the time the vehicle reached Bhuigarh, several passengers had already disembarked at earlier stops, leaving roughly 25 men and women onboard.
As the driver slowed down at the Bhuigarh bus stop to drop off another commuter, five men wielding sharp domestic weapons forced their way inside. One assailant immediately lunged towards the driver, pressing a large knife against his chest to paralyse the bus in place and prevent any attempt to signal for help or drive off.
With the driver held hostage, the remaining gang members moved through the aisle, threatening passengers with physical violence. Blindside panic quickly engulfed the cabin. Operating under direct threats to their lives, victims handed over their mobile handsets, wallets, and cash reserves. Within minutes, the gang collected the plunder and vanished into the darkness.
Following the assault, the shaken driver navigated the bus directly to the Sifat Paribahan ticket counter near the Narayanganj Court area, arriving at around 3:30 am. Biplob, a counter employee, confirmed that distressed passengers detailed the entire ordeal as soon as the vehicle pulled up.
Police presence was surprisingly close during the incident, raising further concern over highway security. Sub-Inspector Milon Fakir of the Fatullah Model Police Station revealed that a police patrol unit was positioned nearby at the time of the robbery. However, because the assailants operated silently inside the vehicle without triggering public shouting or alarms, officers only learned of the crime after the gang had fled. According to police accounts, a portion of the gang boarded the vehicle while another lookout stayed outside to monitor the surroundings.
While the exact monetary value of the stolen goods remains under assessment, the brazen nature of the attack highlights growing vulnerabilities along Bangladesh’s regional transit corridors. Late-night and early-morning bus routes often traverse poorly lit, isolated stretches of road, making stopping for passengers a risky routine. Local authorities confirmed that statements have been recorded from both the driver and the victims. Investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators, track down the gang, and recover the stolen property, though no arrests have yet been made.
