Murder convict manages fake passport, shows off huge properties in Dubai

Ace Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan inaugurated Arav Jewellers in Dubai’s New Gold Souk area on Wednesday. Several celebrities from the country’s sport and film arena went to Dubai to join the programme.

Rabiul posted an update on Facebook regarding the probable presence of the superstars in the inauguration ceremony of his gold shop. He wrote in that Facebook post that he had bought a flat on the 65th floor of the Burj Khalifa. The number of his flat is 6510. Besides, he also owns four to five flats in other upscale areas in Dubai.

In addition to that, he owns a duplex house, including a swimming pool and a garden. He often invites Bangladeshi expatriates there for dinner with venison of spotted deer. He also has several high-end cars.

A hawk, representing the logo of Arav Jewellers, made of 60 kilograms of gold was set up at the inauguration of Arav Jewellers. It took two and a half months to create the logo at a cost of Tk 450 million.

Many have recognised Rabiul as the convict in the murder case filed over the killing of a police official seeing his Facebook post. It also sparked wide speculations about how an absconding accused became so rich in Dubai within such a short time.

Following that, the members of the law enforcement agencies started an investigation over the issue. A source in the law enforcement agency says Rabiul started his gold business in Dubai with the money of a former top official of Bangladesh Police.

Rabiul is known as a Bangladeshi with a ‘magic wand’ to expatriate Bangladeshis in Dubai. No Bangladeshi before Rabiul had led such a lavish life in Dubai, which has grown into an important hub of worldwide gold trade in recent times. Many Bangladeshi expatriates in Dubai work at different gold shops in the city while many own gold shops there.

For the last few years, there have been reports of Bangladeshis laundering money to the UAE and buying luxurious flats, houses and hotels in Dubai. Some have invested in the gold business as well. However, neither the Bangladesh government nor the Bangladesh Bank have given any permission to invest in these businesses from Bangladesh as yet.

Special Branch inspector Mamun, went to a birthday party in the capital’s Banani area at the invitation of a person named Rahmat Ullah on 7 July 2018. There, the accused tried to blackmail him for money.

Later, police found in an investigation that the accused set up a trap for Mamun and invited him to that flat in Banani. As soon as Mamun got there, the accused tied him up, taped his mouth and started beating him up indiscriminately. At one point of torture, Mamun died. Police recovered his body from Gazipur.

Mamun’s family filed a murder case with Banani police station accusing, Rahmat Ullah, Rabiul Islam, Suraiya Akter Keya, Swapan Sarker, Didar Pathan, Mizan Sheikh, Atik Hasan, Sarwar Hossain, Meherunnisa alias Swarna and Faria Binte Maisha.

At the end of the investigation, police submitted the charge-sheet to the court against 10, including Rahmt Ullah and Rabiul Islam alias Apan alias Shohag alias Hridoy, on 31 March 2019. Rabiul was mentioned as absconding in the charge sheet. Later, the court issued an arrest warrant against Rabiul.

After the issuance of the arrest warrant, a man named Rabiul Islam surrendered at the court on 20 October, 2020. The court sent him to prison. However, after serving nine months in jail, that man admitted that he was not the actual Rabiul Islam. His real name was Abu Yusuf and Rabiul persuaded him surrender to the court taking Rabiul's identity.

Following that, the court ordered the detective branch (DB) of the police to investigate the matter and submit a report on this.

The DB police found that Rabiul was from the Ashutia village of Hiron union in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj. Abu Yusuf, who surrendered to the court using Rabiul’s name and identity, was from Ainpur village in Kachua, Chandpur. Abu Yusuf is the son of Nuruzzaman and Halima Begum.

Speaking regarding Rabiul, Mazharul Alam, chairman of Hiron union parishad, said, “He is known as Hridoy alias Shohag alias Hridi in our locality. He came to the village for the last time five years ago and left the village on the same day.”

However, Mazharul met Rabiul some two to two and a half months ago in Saudi Arabia. He said, “I went there to perform Hajj. Rabiul went there too. He said, ‘Uncle, come with me to Dubai. I will buy you the air tickets. I will give you some golden ornaments as well.’”

“But I did not accept the invitation,” Mazharul Alam added.

According to DB police sources, Rabiul has a Bangladeshi passport. He used the name Hridi Khan there. The number of that passport is ‘0385188’. After the murder, he fled to India and forged a fake Indian passport with the name Arav khan. He mentioned Zakir Khan as his father, Rehana Bibi Khan as his mother and Sajima Nasrin as his wife in that forged passport. The number of his Indian passport is ‘U4985389’. After collecting the Indian passport under the name Arav Khan, he started travelling to Dubai. He also travelled Europe using that fake passport.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, additional deputy commissioner of the DB police (Khilgaon Zone) Shahidur Rahman said, “Efforts are on to bring Rabiul back to the country to produce him before the court.”

The National Central Bureau of the Police Headquarters has started the process to bring Rabiul back to the country. Police Headquarters spokesperson assistant inspector general (AIG) Manjur Rahman said that the police are trying to bring back Rabiul Islam through the Interpol.