A daytime heist unfolded in the capital’s Dhanmondi area on Monday afternoon when a citizen was robbed of 3.9 million Taka shortly after withdrawing the cash from a financial institution. Quick-thinking bystanders managed to intervene, apprehending one of the suspects at gunpoint and paving the way for a swift police crackdown that yielded further arrests.
The incident occurred around midday near the popular Dhanmondi Lake neighbourhood, sending ripples of shock through the bustling commercial and residential zone. According to details shared by the national emergency service hotline 999, the victim had just exited a bank carrying a bag containing the substantial sum when three individuals aboard a motorcycle ambushed him. The assailants forcibly snatched the money bag and attempted a rapid getaway through the crowded streets.
Refusing to surrender to the thieves, the victim gave immediate chase on foot, shouting for help and disrupting local traffic. The sudden pursuit caused the getaway motorcycle to lose stability, resulting in one of the riders tumbling onto the tarmac. Alerted by the commotion, local pedestrians swarmed the fallen suspect and detained him before he could flee. During the ensuing scuffle, the crowd discovered a live pistol in his possession and promptly notified authorities.
A concerned citizen dialled the 999 emergency number, prompting call-taker Constable Mujibur Rahman to log the distress call while police dispatcher Sub-Inspector Md. Zahirul Islam coordinated with local field units. Officers from Dhanmondi Police Station rushed to the scene and formally took custody of the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Tanvir Abedin Jewel, alongside the recovered firearm.
Under initial interrogation, Jewel provided critical operational leads that allowed law enforcement to expand their scope. Several teams from Dhanmondi Police Station, working in tandem with the Detective Branch (DB), launched coordinated raids across the city and successfully detained two other members of the criminal syndicate.
Investigators are currently examining whether the perpetrators tracked the victim from inside the bank or maintained surveillance on his financial transactions prior to the ambush. Authorities have confirmed that efforts are actively underway to recover the stolen 3.9 million Taka, determine the exact origin of the confiscated weapon, and verify if additional accomplices remain at large.
