The Special Response Battalion (SRB-3) has arrested six people, including a police-listed alleged top criminal and extortionist, in three separate operations in Dhaka's Rampura area and recovered firearms, ammunition and local weapons.
The arrested alleged top criminal was identified as Md Al-Amin, also known as Pichchi Al-Amin and Omar Faruk, 35. Five of his alleged associates were also arrested during the operations.
According to SRB-3, an operation was conducted at TV Road in Rampura at around 1:30pm on October 1, during which Al-Amin and two of his associates, Kamal Uddin, 30, and Khairul Islam, 46, were arrested.
A foreign-made revolver and five rounds of ammunition were recovered from their possession, the law enforcement agency said.
Based on information provided by Al-Amin, SRB-3 conducted another operation at Kunjanban in Rampura at around 6pm the same day. Two of his alleged associates, Md Sohag Howlader alias Mamun, 28, and Md Rifat Islam, 19, were arrested while allegedly preparing to commit robbery.
Two locally made iron knives were recovered from them, according to SRB.
Later, based on intelligence information and preliminary questioning of Al-Amin, SRB-3 identified the location of another alleged associate, Md Kawsar Khan, 19.
Kawsar was arrested at Kunjanban in Rampura at around 7:30pm on October 3. Based on information provided by him, law enforcement personnel searched a tin-shed house belonging to a person named Shafik in Bhuiyanpara under Khilgaon Police Station.
The operation led to the recovery of two foreign-made firearms, a pistol magazine and nine rounds of ammunition, SRB-3 said.
According to the agency, preliminary interrogation and intelligence information indicate that Al-Amin had allegedly been involved in various criminal activities in Rampura for a long time.
SRB-3 said Al-Amin and his associates had allegedly been collecting extortion money from construction sites, markets, shops, tempo stands, cable television operators and internet service providers in the area.
On September 27, they allegedly attacked an internet service provider named Green Zone Online in Banasree and demanded Tk 20 lakh as a one-time payment. They also allegedly threatened the business with a monthly demand of Tk 5 lakh if it continued operations.
Following a case filed with Rampura Police Station over the incident, SRB-3 launched an intelligence operation that led to the arrests, the agency said.
The law enforcement agency said Al-Amin is an accused in the case filed over the killing of alleged top criminal Yasin Khan Palash, also known as Kailla Palash, in the Hatirjheel area on June 12.
SRB-3 said 27 cases, including those under the Explosives Act and involving extortion, murder and illegal arms, have been filed against Al-Amin with Khilgaon, Rampura, Hatirjheel and Gulshan police stations.
No previous cases were found against the other arrested individuals, according to the agency.
Legal proceedings have been initiated against the arrested suspects.
