7,500 arrested, 500 firearms recovered in 10 months: RAB
Following the ouster of the Awami League government, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has reported arresting around 7,500 individuals in various cases and recovering over 500 firearms over the past 10 months.
RAB Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman disclosed the information at a press briefing held at the RAB Media Centre in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar on Saturday (July 12).
Responding to a question about the possible dissolution of RAB or changes to its uniform, he said, “There is no time to dwell on such matters. Our focus is on ensuring public safety and maintaining law and order.”
Referring to the recent killing of a scrap trader in front of Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka, he said two individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident. "RAB began a shadow investigation immediately after the murder and managed to detain the suspects," he added.
In another case, RAB quickly arrested a man named Sumon in Chattogram for allegedly killing his wife and dismembering her body into 11 pieces.
Regarding a false bomb threat that caused the suspension of a Dhaka-Kathmandu flight, the RAB chief said three individuals were arrested. “A mother used this tactic to stop her married son from traveling with his girlfriend,” he revealed.
Highlighting RAB’s strict stance against mob violence, Shahidur mentioned that three people were arrested in Lalmonirhat for snatching an accused from custody, while six were arrested in Muradnagar, Cumilla, for molesting and assaulting a woman.
He presented arrest and recovery statistics from August 5 last year—when the government was ousted—through June 30 of this year.
In cases related to firearms and ammunition, 172 individuals were arrested, with over 500 firearms and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition recovered.
During regular and special operations, 27 pirates and forest bandits were arrested. Additionally, 42 victims of human trafficking were rescued, and 73 traffickers were detained.
In abduction cases, over 500 suspects were arrested, and nearly 750 abducted victims were rescued. Furthermore, five individuals were arrested for committing crimes while wearing RAB uniforms or falsely identifying themselves as RAB personnel.
As part of efforts to curb street crime, nearly 500 muggers were arrested across Dhaka and other parts of the country. During the same period, 2,200 suspects were arrested in connection with murder and rape cases, 72 in extortion cases, 44 in fraud cases, 11 from various teenage gangs, around 400 in robbery cases, and approximately 3,500 individuals in drug-related cases.