Among those detained is Hemayet Bepari, president of the Shariktala Union unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). According to law enforcement authorities, a police patrol team raided the riverbank beneath the key transport bridge around midnight after receiving tip-offs regarding suspicious activity. The officers caught the group in the act of cutting and dismantling structural iron pipes belonging to the bridge infrastructure.

Officer-in-Charge of Pirojpur Sadar Police Station, Md Shariful Islam, confirmed the arrests and stated that investigators are currently scrutinising Bepari’s degree of involvement in the theft syndicate. He noted that formal legal proceedings would be initiated against all suspects following a thorough initial investigation.

The arrest of a senior union-level political figure in connection with the theft of state property has sparked widespread discussion across the district. The Eighth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge serves as a vital arterial route connecting Pirojpur with neighboring southern districts, making any attempt to sabotage or pilfer its structural materials a significant public safety concern.

Reacting to the incident, Md Nazrul Islam Khan, convener of the Pirojpur District BNP, stressed that the party would not tolerate unlawful activities by its members. Khan assured that the matter is being independently examined, adding that strict organizational disciplinary action, up to expulsion, will be taken against Bepari should the allegations be substantiated upon further investigation. Police remain on high alert in the area to prevent similar crimes targeting public infrastructure.