The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested six members of a fraud ring, including its ringleader, for allegedly deceiving job seekers by falsely claiming to provide employment in law enforcement and various government agencies using fake identities as high-ranking military officers.
They were arrested during overnight raids in Dhaka and Savar on Monday.
The detainees were identified as Sohel Rana alias Milon, 33, Taiyab alias Mostak, 46, Md Sajib Munshi, 44, Shamim Ahmed, 45, Md Maulad Ali Khan, 52, and Sohel Rana alias Jinnah, 37.
During the operation, RAB seized a private car, seven mobile phones, two fake appointment letters, and Tk 95,200 in cash from the suspects’ possession.
RAB confirmed the arrests in a press release issued on Tuesday, stating that the gang had been running a sophisticated scam operation, offering fake government jobs in exchange for large sums of money.
According to the statement, the investigation began after a complaint was lodged by a man named Sohel Rana, who reported that his younger brother was disqualified during a preliminary selection at the Ansar Battalion Academy in Safipur on 14 September.
Soon after, he received a phone call from an unidentified individual claiming his brother was rejected due to “physical issues.” When pressed for identification, the caller introduced himself as “Major Sohel” and requested a face-to-face meeting.
The complainant later met with the suspect at a hotel in Shah Ali Police Station area in Dhaka, where “Major Sohel” introduced another man, Taiyabur Rahman, as a “Colonel in the Army.” The accused assured the complainant that he could secure his brother a position as a sepoy in the Ansar Battalion, claiming to have strong connections within the force. In return, he demanded Tk 12 lakh for the job placement.
Trusting the offer, the victim transferred Tk 4 lakh via a private bank account on 15 September. Following the transaction, the fraudsters provided him with a fake appointment letter, later demanding an additional Tk 1 lakh through mobile banking services such as bKash and Nagad.
After returning home with the appointment letter, the complainant compared it with an authentic one received by another local recruit and found numerous discrepancies. Suspecting fraudulence, he conducted further inquiries and confirmed the appointment letter was fake.
Upon receiving the complaint, RAB-4 launched an investigation and arrested the six individuals involved.
The primary interrogations revealed that the arrestees are members of an organised fraud syndicate that has been operating in the Dhaka metropolitan area for an extended period, targeting job seekers from various districts. The group allegedly promised government jobs in exchange for bribes, posing as senior officials from the military and other government institutions.
Several cases have been filed against the suspects at various police stations. Notably, some of them had previously been arrested by RAB-4 for similar offenses.
Legal proceedings are underway to hand over the accused to the relevant police stations for further action.
