Police in Dhaka have arrested three men for allegedly impersonating personnel from the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) to extort money from an urban resident.
The operation was conducted by a patrol team from the Uttara East Police Station following an urgent dispatch initiated through Bangladesh’s national emergency hotline, 999.
Fraudulent Demand at Gunpoint of Authority
The incident unfolded on Friday morning inside a tenth-floor apartment on Road 3, Sector 4, within the capital’s Uttara residential district. The suspects gained entry into the residence of Kaiyum Shahriar Zahedi, presenting credentials claiming they represented the nation’s premier military intelligence department.
Upon securing entry, the impostors asserted that multiple undisclosed criminal cases were pending against Mr Zahedi. Exploiting the gravity associated with intelligence agencies, the men threatened legal action before offering to “settle” the matter in exchange for a bribe of 10 lakh taka.
Intimidated by their authoritative posture and equipment, the victim handed over 159,000 taka in cash. However, as the men persisted in demanding the remaining balance, their erratic behaviour raised suspicions, prompting Mr Zahedi to discreetly dial 999 for police assistance once he found a safe moment.
Rapid Response and Seizures
A police unit arrived shortly after the call was logged. Officers inspected an identity card presented by one of the individuals, which claimed to confirm his official status within the defence agency.
Sensing inconsistencies in the document, officers subjected the trio to detailed field questioning. Unable to verify their credentials, the suspects confessed to faking their military intelligence backgrounds to execute the extortion scheme.
According to a press statement issued by Md. Akhtar Hossain, Deputy Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Media and Public Relations Division, the arrested individuals have been identified as:
-
Md. Russel Mahbub (alias Masum), aged 42
-
Sohel Mirza, aged 41
-
Md. Sojib, aged 36
Law enforcement officers recovered a range of tactical equipment and assets used during the operation, including:
-
A falsified DGFI identity card
-
One Suzuki Gixxer motorcycle
-
Cash amounting to 159,000 taka
-
A functional walkie-talkie device
-
One pair of standard metal handcuffs
Broader Context and Legal Proceedings
A formal criminal case has been registered at the Uttara East Police Station, and legal procedures are underway to transfer the accused into judicial custody. Police investigators are reviewing whether the group has operated similar scams across other residential pockets of the capital.
Impersonating state security personnel remains a serious issue in urban areas, as criminals leverage mock paraphernalia, handheld radios, and false credentials to exploit citizens’ fear of legal authority. Public safety officials stressed the necessity of verifying the identity of anyone claiming to represent state agencies, urging citizens to contact law enforcement immediately when faced with suspect demands for cash.
