A police constable serving in the Chapainawabganj District Police force faces serious allegations of snatching 40 bhori of gold, valued at nearly ten million taka, under the guise of an official law enforcement operation. Following the incident, the accused officer proceeded on a month-long leave to his village home in Debipur, located in Durgapur upazila of Rajshahi.
Although the allegations against Constable Zakir Hossain have sent shockwaves through the local police force, departmental authorities have yet to initiate formal disciplinary or legal proceedings against him.
The incident reportedly occurred on the afternoon of 8 August near the Kalinagar Bridge over the Mora Pagla River in Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila. Detailing the occurrence, Rajshahi-based gold trader Nizhum explained that his brother operates a jewellery shop in Rajshahi city. The business model involves purchasing gold bullion when market prices dip and reselling it as prices rise, along with fulfilling wholesale orders for jewellers in neighbouring districts.
Nizhum stated that the consignment was seized while being delivered to meet one such regional order. The merchant revealed that he initially hesitated to lodge a police complaint because his own brother-in-law, Mohammad Ali, and his nephew, Nayan, were allegedly co-conspirators in the robbery. Nizhum claimed that the pair conspired with Constable Zakir to stage the heist during transit. Despite private attempts to recover the stolen bullion over the past few weeks, the victim achieved no success.
When questioned, Constable Zakir acknowledged being present near the Kalinagar Bridge at the specified time and date. However, he firmly denied any involvement in the robbery, asserting that the trader was framing him without basis. Meanwhile, when journalists contacted Mohammad Ali, the carrier of the gold, he disconnected the phone line immediately upon learning the reporter’s identity.
Chapainawabganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ekramul Hossain stated that no written complaint has been submitted regarding the matter and maintained that he had no official knowledge of the event.
Additional Superintendent of Police ANM Wasim Firoz, spokesperson for Chapainawabganj District Police, similarly noted that law enforcement has not been formally notified of the crime, adding that a thorough enquiry will commence if a written complaint is filed. Unofficial sources within district police headquarters, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged hearing accounts of the incident and confirmed that Constable Zakir abruptly took a month-long leave shortly after the robbery allegedly took place.
