The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested five members of an organised syndicate involved in blackmailing individuals through “honeytraps” in the capital.
The arrestees have been identified as Md Anwar Hossain, 45, Badiuzzaman Shahin, 45, Mariam, 49, Shahadat Hossain, 58, and Urmi Begum, 39.
According to DB sources, the investigation began following a complaint by a loan distribution officer of a private financial institution. On 15 April, the official visited a market in South Banasree, under Rampura Thana, for work. There, a woman identifying herself as a potential loan applicant introduced herself and collected the official’s visiting card.
Over the following days, the woman established a close rapport with the victim through regular phone conversations. Eventually, she invited him to meet in front of Banasree Unity Hospital.
Upon his arrival, another woman received him and took him by rickshaw through various alleys to a flat in the Khilgaon Thana area.
Shortly after entering the flat, four other individuals appeared and physically assaulted the victim. They then forcibly filmed a compromising video of him with a woman.
The gang seized his mobile phone, wallet, cash, bank ATM cards, National Identity Card (NID), driving licence, and motorcycle registration documents.
The suspects demanded a ransom of Tk3 lakh and successfully embezzled Tk1.10 lakh from the victim’s bank account via bKash and Upay mobile financial services.
They continued to blackmail him by threatening to release the video on social media. The victim subsequently filed a case at Khilgaon Thana on 22 June.
Based on intelligence gathered during the investigation, an operational team from the DB-Cyber and Special Crime (South) Division conducted a series of raids from 7:30pm on Friday to 7:30am on Saturday.
The operations, spanning the Sabujbagh, Badda, and Khilgaon areas, led to the arrest of the five syndicate members. Police seized nine mobile phones, one walkie-talkie, and Tk4,000 in cash from their possessions.
Initial forensic analysis of the seized digital devices revealed evidence that the group had trapped, tortured, and filmed multiple other individuals using the same modus operandi.
The arrestees are reportedly named in several other cases filed at various police stations across the country.
The five suspects are currently on police remand. Authorities stated that the investigation is ongoing to identify other accomplices, further refine the group’s operational tactics, and locate additional victims.
