Law enforcement agencies are working not only to arrest juvenile gang members but also to identify their key kingpins and halt their operations, saying that a “shortcut solution” will not yield the desired results.
Speaking at a press conference at the SRB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, on Monday, Additional DIG Naimul Hasan, Commanding Officer of SRB-2, emphasised that law enforcement aims to dismantle these criminal networks at their root rather than relying on quick fixes.
Meanwhile, SRB-2 has arrested Sabuj Hossain Arman, 21, a top leader of the “Arman-Shahrukh” group and the number three accused named in the First Information Report (FIR) of the Farhad murder case in the Arshinagar area under Keraniganj Model Police Station.
A samurai sword used in the killing was recovered from his possession. Subsequent raids at his rented house yielded four additional samurai swords, while a search of a temporary tin-shed of road construction workers in the Katasur area of Mohammadpur led to the recovery of a foreign pistol and a magazine.
Providing details of the murder, Naimul Hasan said that on 15 September, several terrorists, including Arman, barged into a saloon in Arshinagar, fired indiscriminately, and hacked Farhad, a member of the “Patali Group”, with cleaver.
Farhad was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where the emergency department doctor declared him dead. Following the incident, the victim’s mother, Nasima Begum, filed a murder case as the plaintiff at Keraniganj Model Police Station on 16 September under Sections 302/34.
Following the murder, SRB-2 intensified intelligence surveillance. In the early morning of 28 September, acting on intelligence that Arman was hiding in the Buddhijibi No 1 Road area under Mohammadpur Police Station, SRB-2 conducted a raid and apprehended him.
During the arrest, officers recovered the samurai sword used in the murder. A search of his rented accommodation subsequently yielded four more samurai swords. Based on information provided by Arman, officers searched a temporary tin-shed used by road workers in Katasur, Mohammadpur, and recovered a foreign pistol along with a magazine.
SRB-2 officials revealed that Shahrukh, another top member of the ‘Arman-Shahrukh’ group, was previously arrested on 16 August. Drives based on Arman’s confession are currently ongoing to arrest other suspects involved in Farhad’s murder, including key accused Sabbir and Sohel.
When asked about Arman’s whereabouts prior to his arrest, Naimul Hasan explained that although Arman had been in hiding across various locations, he remained within Dhaka and its surrounding areas. Arman will undergo interrogation to ascertain the exact motive behind the murder.
Arman already faces five existing cases at Mohammadpur Police Station involving charges of rioting, theft, attempted murder, and intimidation, and has previously been arrested multiple times by law enforcement agencies.
Addressing concerns regarding suspects repeatedly escaping through legal loopholes, Naimul Hasan said, “We expect that this time he will not be able to slip through the loopholes of the law.”
Elaborating on the broader strategy to eliminate juvenile gangs, Naimul Hasan noted that arresting key or influential gang members weakens the groups and remains an essential part of law enforcement tactics.
However, he cautioned, “If you want a shortcut solution, it will be a mistake. We have plans to prevent such groups from forming in the future and to stop their activities.” He added that SRB-2’s Research and Development (R&D) cell is currently analysing the issue to identify the underlying causes behind these criminal groups and formulate comprehensive long-term measures.
Addressing recent law and order incidents in Mohammadpur, the SRB-2 chief mentioned that six individuals were arrested yesterday in connection with one case, including the number two accused who was apprehended from Noakhali.
He noted that conflicting accounts have been received from both parties involved, adding that detailed information will be disclosed following further investigation and interrogation.
