Tk9cr recovered, 7 detained over DBBL microbus robbery: DB

Police have recovered Tk9 crore just a few hours after a microbus was robbed this morning at Turag area of Dhaka's Uttara while being transported to the Dutch Bangla Bank ATM booths.

"We recovered about Tk9 crore in three trunks and also seized a vehicle from Khilkhet. Operations are underway to recover the rest," Haroon Or Rashid, chief of Detective Branch of police said while briefing reporters in Khilkhet area on Thursday evening. 

"It's a planned incident. We are looking into why the Money Plant officials let the robbers get away so easily. The looter have been on Money Plant's transportation tail for a long time. Unfortunately, the security agency officials in the microbus at the time were not carrying any arms," he said.

"We got some names. After interrogating the detainees including two directors of the private security agency, we will unearth further details behind the incident," the DB chief added.

Earlier, the vehicle from Money Plant Link Private Limited, a security agency, carrying Tk11.25 crore was headed toward Savar when a group of robbers intercepted it around 7:30am, Turag police station OC Moudut Hawlader told TBS.

There were five persons inside the vehicle including the driver. Robbers held them at gun point, assaulted the driver and drove away with the microbus towards Ashulia highway from Uttara sector-11 near Diabari area, Joshoda Jibon Debnath, managing director of Money Plant Link Private Limited told TBS.

According to Mohammad Raisul Islam, assistant commissioner of Uttara zone, "The security agency men riding the microbus were unarmed. Usually security agencies carry arms while transporting cash to refill ATM booths."

Money Plant MD Jibon said, "Three trunks of money have been recovered."

"I found high officials of police quite cordial and active while dealing with the case," he said adding, "Even the Police Bureau of Investigation and Detective Branch contacted me and assured they are on high alert," he added.

Dutch Bangla Bank's Deputy Managing Director Shah Alam Patwary said, "About 10-12 people drove in on a black tinted car and attacked the microbus near Diabari area."

"Whenever our ATM booths are emptied out, we hire third party companies to transport money to refill ATMs. It is the third party's responsibility to have the looted money reimbursed to us. We have insurance over the funds as well," he added.