Bangabandhu Tunnel power cables stolen, 2 arrested

Two people have been arrested, accused of stealing some 2,500 metres of power cables from the Bangabandhu Tunnel project area in Chattogram.

The cables were installed underground for providing electricity to the streetlamps of the approach road from the Anwara end of the tunnel.

The Chinese manager of the Bangabandhu Tunnel project filed a case with Karnaphuli police station in this regard.

Police arrested Mohammad Ilias of Anwara upazila, and Abdul Gafur, owner of a local scrap shop, on 26-27 November.

Ilias stole and sold the cables to scrap shop owner Gafur, police said.

Karnaphuli police station officer in charge (OC), Dulal Mahmood, told The Business Standard, "It was on 18 November when project officials noticed the missing cables which were laid underground for the streetlamps. The thieves had cut them out from different places using the manholes."

According to the case filed on 25 November, the plaintiff cited an estimated loss of Tk51.25 lakh as the theft damaged the whole transmission line, he added.

"We seized some 20-30 pieces of stolen power cables from a local scrap shop. A gang of six or seven people was involved in the theft."  

A Chattogram court has sent them to jail. Efforts are underway to catch the others, the OC added.