In a dramatic turn of events, officers of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) now face serious allegations of embezzling BDT 28 crore in cash seized during an anti-counterfeit currency operation in the capital. A departmental investigation into the matter has already been launched.
According to sources within the DB, the operation took place on 8 November last year in the Wari area, following a tip-off about counterfeit currency circulation. During the raid, DB officers arrested two individuals—Nurul Haque (32) and Saidul Amin (24), both Rohingya nationals—along with counterfeit notes and cash.
The official seizure list recorded BDT 6 lakh in counterfeit notes and BDT 19 lakh in cash. However, during interrogation, the two detainees claimed that a total of BDT 3 crore in cash had been taken from them by DB officers at the time of the operation, leaving BDT 28 crore unaccounted for.
Financial Discrepancy Table:
| Item | Amount (BDT) |
|---|---|
| Counterfeit notes recorded | 600,000 |
| Cash recorded in seizure list | 1,900,000 |
| Cash claimed by detainees as seized | 30,000,000 |
| Discrepancy / Missing from list | 28,000,000 |
DMP Additional Commissioner and DB Chief Shafiqul Islam confirmed to The Daily Star that an inquiry is underway. Following the allegations, DB Chief Shafiqul Islam ordered an investigation into the conduct of the operation led by the then Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Tejgaon Division, Tarek Sekander. The inquiry was initially assigned to his superior, then Acting Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rakib Khan, who submitted his report on 4 December. For reasons of impartiality, the authorities have since ordered a second investigation, which is currently ongoing.
Tensions between officers came to light after a confrontation on 2 December outside the Givency International Hotel in Farmgate, captured on CCTV. The footage shows AC Tarek arriving at 4:00 a.m. and subsequently engaged in a scuffle with DC Rakib. Tarek alleged that he was attempting to locate a missing DB source, Didarul Islam, who had gone missing in Cox’s Bazar on 29 November. Rakib denied the claims, stating that no junior officer is assaulted by a senior and suggesting that Tarek’s operation may have been premeditated and linked to the alleged embezzlement.
Documents indicate that room 805 of the hotel was booked under the name “Mr Didar” with a DB notation from 30 November to 2 December. Didarul’s wife had filed a general diary (GD) at Ukhiya Police Station reporting her husband missing, which she later withdrew when he returned home on 4 December.
Following the allegations, Tarek has been transferred to Rangamati, while Rakib now serves in the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit. The ongoing second investigation into the discrepancies in the seizure list is currently being supervised by CTTC Joint Commissioner Munshi Sahabuddin, though he has declined to comment publicly.