Eight bags stolen from cricketers

Four people have been arrested after eight bags belonging to cricketers were stolen from a moving covered van carrying their belongings to Rajshahi for the National Cricket League (NCL).

Police have recovered the bags, along with US dollars, an iPhone and a laptop. However, Tk300,000 belonging to off-spinner SM Meherob remains missing.

The robbery took place at around 5am on Wednesday in the Tarapur area of Puthia upazila on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway. The Detective Branch of Rajshahi District Police identified the suspects with the help of information technology and arrested them during a raid in Tarapur village early on Thursday.

The arrested individuals are Moslem Uddin, 32, of Chamta village in Charghat; Sohan Rahman, 23, of Gondogohali village; Rubel Ahmed, 38, of Baraipara village; and Rowshan Ara Khatun of Tarapur village, both in Puthia.

According to police, a group of people on motorcycles followed the covered van before breaking the lock at the rear of the moving vehicle and stealing the bags and other belongings.

The driver of another vehicle travelling behind the van alerted its driver, Sajib, to the incident. Sajib reported the theft to the concerned authorities after reaching Hotel Grand Riverview in Rajshahi city.

A general diary was filed with Rajshahi's Rajpara Police Station, prompting an investigation by the district police's Detective Branch.

Acting on information obtained from the arrested suspects, police recovered the eight bags and other stolen items from the house of Shahadat Hossain in Tarapur village.

The recovered items include an iPhone 15 Pro Max, US$300, a laptop, a massage bed, four plastic boxes and Tk8,000 in cash. Police also seized tools allegedly used to break the lock and a motorcycle.

Of the 54 bags unloaded from the covered van, only 46 were found, with the remaining eight missing.

The third round of the NCL is scheduled to begin at Rajshahi Divisional Stadium on 18 October. The Rajshahi and Barishal divisions are due to face each other in a first-class match, with Rajshahi's luggage and cricket equipment transported by road from Dhaka. The Barishal team travelled to Rajshahi by air.