RAB arrests two suspects in connection with fatal mugging of teacher near National Parliament Building
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Elite security forces have arrested two suspects in connection with the death of school teacher Ronjila Parvin, who was killed after falling from a rickshaw when a snatcher attempted to grab her bag in front of the National Parliament Building. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) confirmed the arrests on Sunday and stated they have recovered a Yamaha R-15 motorcycle alleged to have been used in the commission of the crime.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Mosharraf Hossain, alias Poni Gazi, and his associate, Cedric. RAB-2 Commanding Officer and Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Naymul Hassan announced the development during a press briefing at the battalion headquarters in Mohammadpur’s Bosila.
According to RAB, the investigation led to the arrest of the duo in the East Tejturibazar area within 24 hours of the incident. Officials stated that the motorcycle was retrieved following interrogation of its owner, identified as Rakib. While Rakib is currently being held for questioning, officials noted that the vehicle had been in Poni Gazi’s possession on the day of the incident. The victim’s husband, Abdul Matin, reportedly identified the bike as the one involved in the attack.
Poni Gazi is a documented professional criminal with a history of at least 13 criminal cases, including robbery, theft, drug-related offenses, and intimidation across various police stations in Dhaka and beyond. Officials indicated that he had previously been arrested and released on bail, though the timeline of his release remains under police verification.
Despite the official claims, the arrest has been met with contention. During the presentation of the suspects to the media, Poni Gazi vehemently denied any involvement in the crime. He specifically pointed to a visual discrepancy, arguing that his motorcycle is black and white, whereas closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the robbery shows a blue motorcycle.
Addressing these concerns, DIG Naymul Hassan cited three factors supporting the arrest: the motorcycle owner’s testimony that Poni Gazi coerced him into handing over the bike; physical resemblance between the suspect and the rider seen in CCTV footage; and forensic analysis of mobile phone data, which placed the suspects in the vicinity of the crime scene during the early hours of Saturday. Local informants also reportedly identified Poni Gazi from the footage.
RAB officials acknowledged that the investigation is in its early stages. DIG Hassan stated that the suspects are being treated as the primary leads and will be handed over to the police for further interrogation under judicial authorization to clarify the discrepancies and confirm their involvement.
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