The Rapid Action Battalion has arrested nine members of a gang from Dhaka’s Matikata area for their alleged involvement in fair price product sales in the black market.
RAB said that it also seized 770 sacks (31,300 kg) of rice, 160 sacks (8,000 kg) of flour, three trucks, two 770 bags of fair price rice seized, 9 detainedweighing instruments and one sack sewing machine.
A team of RAB-4 detained them during an overnight operation conducted from 11:00 pm on Thursday to 5:00 am on Friday, said RAB-4 Assistant Director Ziaur Rahman Chowdhury.
The arrested people are -- Abdul Quader Sikder, 60, Omi Islam, 33, Abdul Barek, 35, Kamal Hossain, 53, Ujjal Hossain, 25, Shaheen, 18, Jewel, 31, Jabed, 19, and Salman, 25.
According to the interrogation, they had been selling fair price rice and flour on the black market for a long time.
The gang collected fair price rice and flour in sacks from different parts of the capital, said the official.
The government has provided food items at a fair price to low-income people across the country, including the capital Dhaka, to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ziaur said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had given clear instructions to prevent any corruption in the distribution of these food items.
RAB is carrying out intelligence activities to bring those involved in embezzling government food items and selling them on the black market, the official added.
Based on intelligence information, a team of RAB-4 conducted a raid at a house in Dhaka’s Matikata area under Cantonment Police Station on Thursday and arrested the people.
The legal action was taken against them, said RAB.
