Questions over arrest of 2 suspects and colour of recovered motorbike

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has announced the arrest of two suspects, including the prime suspect, in connection with the death of 56-year-old headteacher Ranjila Parveen.

Ranjila Parveen tragically lost her life after falling from a battery-powered auto-rickshaw when muggers violently snatched her bag in front of the Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) building. RAB also reported the recovery of the motorcycle allegedly used during the crime.

The arrestees have been identified as Mosharaf Hossain Poni (alias Poni Gazi) and his accomplice, Sedric. RAB stated that they seized a Yamaha R15 motorcycle from the two, which they believe was used in the mugging.

The details were disclosed during a press briefing held at 4:00 pm today (Sunday) at the RAB-2 Battalion Headquarters in Basila, Mohammadpur, Dhaka. Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Naimul Hassan, Commanding Officer of RAB-2, led the briefing.

Following the briefing, the prime suspect and his associate were presented before journalists. At that point, Mosharaf Hossain shouted out, protesting his innocence and claiming he had no involvement in the incident. He further asserted that his motorcycle bore no resemblance to the one used in the mugging.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage from two separate cameras circulated on Saturday showed a blue motorcycle at the scene, raising doubts regarding the identity of the arrested suspects and the colour of the seized vehicle.

Addressing the arrests, RAB officer Naimul Hassan stated that, based on intelligence and technological analysis, prime suspect Mosharaf Hossain and his accomplice Sedric were apprehended in the Purba Tejturi Bazar area of the capital. The Yamaha R15 motorcycle used in the crime was also recovered. THe officers were able to track down the suspects within 24 hours of the fatality, he added.

Naimul Hassan explained that the seized motorcycle belongs to an individual named Rakib, who has been detained for questioning. However, on the day of the incident, the motorcycle was in Poni Gazi’s possession. Furthermore, RAB claimed that the victim’s husband, Abdul Matin, confirmed that a vehicle matching this description was used at the crime scene.

The RAB official added that initial investigations reveal Poni Gazi to be a professional mugger with a history of multiple crimes. He had been operating in areas such as Tejgaon and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar for a prolonged period, engaging in robbery, mugging, drug dealing, and intimidation. He currently faces 13 cases across various police stations in and outside the capital.

Providing a breakdown of the charges, Naimul Hassan noted that Poni Gazi has three drug-related cases registered at Hatirjheel, Adabor, and Kafrul police stations; six cases involving theft and criminal intimidation at Bhatara, Mohammadpur, Kafrul, Badda, and Shahjahanpur stations; and three cases of theft and burglary at Adabor, Khilgaon, and Kamrangirchar stations. Additionally, he faces a case for preparing to commit dacoity at Chandpur Model police station.

The RAB-2 commander further mentioned that Poni Gazi had previously been arrested by law enforcement authorities and subsequently released on bail, though the exact date of his release is still being verified by the police.

While specific details regarding Sedric remain limited at this stage, the motorcycle owner confirmed that Sedric was riding pillion behind Poni, he added.

In response to journalists' queries, RAB-2 Commanding Officer Naimul Hassan presented three main arguments justifying the arrests:

Firstly, the motorcycle's owner, Rakib, stated in his testimony that Poni Gazi frequently took the bike by force. It remained in Poni’s possession from 26 August until Saturday afternoon, and Rakib claimed to be unaware of what Poni did with it during that period.

Secondly, the physical build of the rider seen in the CCTV footage matches that of Poni. Furthermore, 15 local informants confirmed Poni’s involvement after reviewing the video. The recovered motorcycle was also shown to the deceased teacher’s husband, who confirmed that an identical motorcycle was used in the crime.

Thirdly, mobile phone tracking placed the suspects' numbers in the vicinity of the crime scene between 2:30 am and 4:00 am.

Speaking regarding the relationship between the owner, Rakib, and Poni Gazi, Naimul Hassan explained that Poni is a senior figure from Rakib's neighbourhood. Rakib, who works in an auto repair workshop, was regularly threatened and coerced into lending his motorcycle. Rakib remains in custody for questioning to determine the extent of his involvement; if complicity is proven, he will be formally arrested, though no decision has been taken yet.

At the conclusion of the briefing, the two suspects were presented before media cameras in the courtyard of the RAB-2 headquarters, escorted by four RAB officers.

As they were brought out, Poni Gazi shouted to newspersons, maintaining that he was innocent and had been detained unlawfully.

He pointed out that his motorcycle is black and white, whereas the vehicle captured in the mugging footage was blue, urging journalists to investigate the discrepancy independently. RAB personnel swiftly escorted him away immediately after.

Media outlets had earlier broadcast CCTV footage showing two suspects on a blue motorcycle loitering on the road in front of the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad.

In contrast, photographs of the recovered motorcycle provided to the media by RAB clearly show a black-and-white vehicle. This stark variance has fueled growing scepticism over whether the seized bike and the arrested individuals were genuinely involved in the crime.

When questioned about this mismatch, Naimul Hassan remarked, "We have consistently stated that they have been arrested as suspects, as the perpetrators named in the case file remain unidentified. The investigation will develop progressively from these initial arrests. We will wait for further clarity before drawing definitive conclusions. The two individuals will shortly be handed over to the police station, after which we will seek court permission to interrogate them."