Three Arrested After Highway Police Intercept Moving Bus in Ashulia

Prompt action by law enforcement in Ashulia averted a serious crime late on Saturday night, as officers impounded a commercial bus, rescued a trapped female passenger, and arrested three suspects following a harrowing attempted sexual assault on the Dhaka-Aricha highway. The suspects face formal prosecution under the Prevention of Oppression Against Women and Children Act.

The event began at roughly 1:30 am on Sunday, when the young woman and an acquaintance, Rubel, boarded a Savar Paribahan bus at Dhaka’s Gabtoli terminal, bound for Nabinagar. Approaching their destination, the primary driver, 35-year-old Md Imran, relinquished the steering wheel to his 20-year-old assistant, Md Mushfequr Rahman Joni.

Imran turned aggressive, assaulting Rubel, threatening his life, and forcing him off the bus near Sreepur. The driver then disembarked, leaving the young woman isolated inside the transit vehicle with Joni and a third associate, 30-year-old Md Sumon Pramanik.

As the bus sped further along the dark highway, Joni attempted to assault the woman while Sumon assisted him. Meanwhile, Rubel made a rapid call to the national emergency services hotline, 999. His detailed description enabled dispatchers to coordinate a rapid intercept with the Ashulia Police Station.

Police officers acted quickly, setting up a physical roadblock using a heavy transport vehicle near the Rarhaipara bus stand. The approaching bus was forced to a halt, allowing officers to board, rescue the victim, and apprehend Joni and Sumon on the spot. The vehicle was seized immediately for forensic processing.

Following a criminal case lodged by the victim, officers conducted a targeted raid on Sunday afternoon, apprehending the driver, Imran, in Ashulia’s Barhaipara district. Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Tarikul Islam of Ashulia Police Station confirmed on Monday that all three individuals were processed and presented before the court.

The incident underscores persistent safety concerns for female commuters navigating the industrial belts surrounding Dhaka during late hours. Radial routes linking the capital to suburban industrial hubs like Ashulia witness heavy traffic, yet overnight commercial transport often lacks stringent supervision.

Commending the victim’s companion for his swift alert to the 999 emergency system, police leaders stressed that immediate reporting remains essential to intercepting active crimes on transit routes. Authorities are now reviewing security protocols and nocturnal highway patrols to enhance passenger safety across the region.