Bangla Press Desk: Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have raided seven battery-run rickshaw garages in Dhaka’s Rayerbazar, cutting five illegal electricity connections and arresting a murder case accused.
The raid took place from 8:30 pm to 11:00 pm on Sunday with representatives from the Power Division, a day after local residents raised allegations about criminal activity, extortion and illegal power connections at such garages.
Jewel Rana, additional deputy commissioner of the Tejgaon Division’s Mohammadpur Zone, said that seven rickshaw garages were searched during the operation.
Five of the seven garages had illegal power connections, he said, adding that Power Division officials on site immediately disconnected them.
Most people fled upon learning of the raid, but one garage owner was arrested, the police officer said.
A murder case suspect has also been arrested during the operation, police say.
During the raid, police also learned about a man identified only as Rabiul, who allegedly supplies illegal electricity connections to the garages and collects Tk 20,000 a month from them.
The additional deputy commissioner said local autorickshaw garage owners told police that Rabiul claims to be a Power Division employee.
The utility officials participating in the drive, however, confirmed that no individual named Rabiul works for their office, he added.
Police say Rabiul has collected millions of taka by supplying illegal electricity connections in the area.
Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner Ibne Mizan said such operations will continue regularly.
A law-and-order meeting was held in Mohammadpur on Saturday, attended by Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mosleh Uddin and RAB Director General Ahsan Habib Palash.
Local residents at the meeting alleged that criminals were using battery-run rickshaw garages in Mohammadpur as hideouts and that money was being collected through extortion and illegal electricity connections.
The complaints prompted the police commissioner to order a special operation.
