Three men have been arrested in Dhaka’s Uttara East area for allegedly posing as members of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and extorting money from a resident, police said.
The suspects allegedly threatened a flat owner by claiming that he was facing a criminal case and demanded Tk 1 million in exchange for settling the purported case. The victim reportedly paid Tk 159,000 before becoming suspicious and seeking help through the national emergency service 999.
The arrests were confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday (3 October) by Md Akhtar Hossain, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Media and Public Relations Division.
The three arrested men were identified as Md Russel Mahbub alias Masum, 42, Sohel Mirza, 41, and Md Sajib, 36.
According to Uttara East Police Station, the incident occurred on Friday (2 October). At about 8am, police received a call through the 999 emergency service reporting suspicious activity at a flat on the 10th floor of a residential building on Road 3 in Sector 4.
A patrol team was dispatched to the location. Police said several men were present at the flat and had introduced themselves as DGFI personnel.
The men allegedly told the flat owner, Kayum Shahriar Jahedi, that a case had been filed against him. They reportedly used the claim to intimidate him and later demanded Tk 1 million, allegedly saying the money would be required to settle the case.
Jahedi, fearing the consequences, handed over Tk 159,000, according to police. He subsequently became suspicious of the men’s conduct and contacted 999 for assistance.
When police arrived, they found a DGFI identity card in the possession of one of the men. The card immediately raised questions about their identities. Officers questioned the suspects about the document and their presence at the flat.
Police said the men admitted during questioning to posing as DGFI members and attempting to extort money. They were then arrested in connection with the alleged offence.
Officers also recovered a number of items from the suspects. These included a fake DGFI identity card, a Suzuki Gixxer motorcycle, Tk 159,000 in cash, a walkie-talkie and a pair of handcuffs.
The case highlights how the use of the name and identity of a government security agency can be used to intimidate people. In the reported incident, the alleged threat of legal action was accompanied by a demand for a substantial amount of money. The victim’s call to the emergency service ultimately brought police to the scene.
Authorities have urged people confronted with suspicious claims involving government agencies or criminal cases to seek verification and contact law enforcement rather than handing over money.
A regular case has been filed at Uttara East Police Station over the incident. Police said legal procedures were under way to produce the arrested men before a court.
The allegations against the three suspects will now be dealt with through the legal process.
