Fresh details have emerged in the investigation into the daylight robbery in which approximately Tk5.7 million was stolen from two bKash sales representatives after armed robbers intercepted a passenger bus on the Teknaf–Cox’s Bazar highway. Although police have arrested two suspects, the stolen money has yet to be recovered four days after the incident. Investigators are now placing particular emphasis on the suspected role of a burqa-clad woman believed to have monitored the bus before the attack.
According to police, the two suspects, Akhtar Hossain and Nazrul Islam, were arrested on the night of 3 August from the Leda area of Hnila Union in Teknaf Upazila. Both have been produced before a court in connection with the robbery case, while investigators have sought a 10-day remand to question them further and gather additional evidence.
The robbery took place at around midday on 2 August as a passenger bus was travelling from Teknaf towards Cox’s Bazar. Preliminary findings suggest that a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw had been following the bus for some distance. Investigators believe a woman dressed in a burqa, travelling in that vehicle, was closely observing the bus’s movements and may have been communicating with the waiting gang.
Police suspect that shortly after the woman signalled, a group of seven or eight armed men descended from a nearby hillside and executed a carefully planned ambush. They first blocked the road by placing tree trunks and wooden planks embedded with nails across the highway, forcing the bus to stop. Within moments, four armed attackers boarded the vehicle and headed directly towards the bKash sales representatives carrying cash.
Rather than targeting ordinary passengers or attempting to rob everyone on board, the attackers immediately seized bags containing cash from two specific representatives. When the victims resisted, they were stabbed and physically assaulted before the robbers fled. Investigators estimate that the entire operation lasted only 15 to 20 minutes, after which the gang escaped through hilly terrain, making pursuit difficult.
The investigation has revealed that three bKash sales representatives were travelling on the bus with a combined Tk8.2 million. Of that amount, Tk3.5 million was taken from Ekram Hossain, while Tk2.2 million was stolen from Al Arman. A further Tk2.5 million being carried by another representative, Abdul Karim, remained untouched.
This discovery has become one of the most significant aspects of the investigation. Detectives believe the robbers possessed precise prior knowledge regarding who was carrying cash and approximately how much money they had. The fact that the gang ignored other passengers and targeted only the cash carriers has strengthened suspicions that confidential information may have been leaked before the journey.
Investigators are now examining whether the information originated from someone connected to the transport, including the bus driver, his assistant, a passenger, or another source familiar with the representatives’ movements. Digital communication records, witness statements and other intelligence are also being reviewed to determine how the alleged criminal group obtained such detailed information.
Police say identifying the burqa-clad woman has become one of the highest priorities in the case. Investigators are trying to establish whether she played a central role in planning the robbery or was assigned solely to monitor the bus and relay its location to the attackers. Search operations are continuing in several areas to locate other members of the suspected gang.
Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam of Teknaf Model Police Station said investigators had obtained several important leads and were actively working to identify the woman believed to have followed the bus. He added that efforts to recover the stolen money and arrest the remaining suspects were continuing without interruption.
Police also stated that one of the arrested suspects, Akhtar Hossain, has previously faced multiple criminal cases involving narcotics offences, murder and robbery. Investigators suspect that several additional individuals participated in the organised robbery. They are also examining possible links to Rohingya criminal elements, although officials stressed that no final conclusion has yet been reached and that the investigation remains ongoing.
The bold nature of the robbery, carried out in broad daylight on one of the region’s busiest roads, has raised concern among local residents and transport operators alike. Law enforcement agencies maintain that every aspect of the incident is being examined thoroughly as they seek to dismantle the network responsible, recover the stolen funds and bring all those involved to justice.
