Dhaka, Jan 8, 2008: A robbery was committed at BRAC Bank, Dhanmondi branch.

The robbers breaking 75 lockers out of 103 in the vault stole cash money, gold ornaments and other valuables. Of the looted lockers, 62 belonged to depositors, sources said.

However, the bank authorities could not figure out the value of stolen treasures as many of the customers were yet to be informed about the matter.

One of the customers, Giasuddin, a trader, pointed out that he had kept around 350 tolas of gold ornaments in the rented strongbox.

Police suspected that the burglars might have entered the strong-room of the bank located on the first floor of a four-storey building at Sobhanbag in the city’s posh Dhanmondi residential area in-between Friday night and Saturday night as the bank remained closed in the weekend.

Bank officials said a security guard of the branch along with a customer entering into the branch on Monday morning found 75 out of 103 lockers of the vault broken.

He instantly informed the authorities of the matter.

Later Mohammadpur police station was also informed of it.

Hearing the news, OC of the Mohammadpur police station, DC of the Detective Branch of police, DMP Commissioner Nayem Ahmed and high officials of intelligence agencies reached the spot.

The authorities of the bank run by BRAC, an NGO informed some of the customers of the incident of the burglary on Monday.

As the authorities also served a letter to the depositors, they rushed to know about their valuables.

There was a commotion among agitated clients as the management refused to take responsibilities for the stolen goods, citing clause 8 of the terms and conditions of the bank.

The clause states: the bank will not be responsible for missing valuables from the lockers due to theft, robbery and fire or any other reason.

However, the victims alleged that the bank did not impose such terms and conditions during the signing of the agreement. On the second and third floors of the building there is a residential hotel ‘Hotel Nidmahal’.

Police said the looters rented the room-no 103 and 104 of the hotel, just atop the vault, and broke the floor of the room-no 103 to get down to commit the ingenious evil act of bank break-in. A case was filed with the Mohammadpur Police Station.

Police arrested four employees of the hotel in this connection.

When contacted Mohammad put police on Monday said they were deeply investigating into the robbery.

 

@ The Bangladesh JOurnal