Body found on expressway: Bus driver, supervisor, assistant killed passenger after seeing cash, say police

Police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested three people, including a bus driver, in connection with the recovery of a man's body from the Banani section of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

Police revealed today (6 September) that the bus supervisor spotted a large amount of cash tucked into the victim's "lungi" while collecting his fare. 

He then plotted with the driver and his assistant to murder the passenger and steal the money, they stated.

The arrested are bus driver Sohel Rana, 41, supervisor Saju alias Limon, 26, and helper Md Monir Hossain, 19.

DMP Joint Commissioner (Crime) Md Faruk Hossain disclosed the details during a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road.

He said police received information around 8:45am on Friday (4 September) that an unidentified man's body was lying on the airport-bound lane of the elevated expressway near the stadium under the jurisdiction of Banani Police Station.

Police recovered the body and found the victim's face and hands wrapped in tape, with black marks around his neck. 

After an inquest, the body was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.

The victim was later identified as Ismail Hossain through fingerprint matching, while his family confirmed his identity from photographs at the police station.

Ismail's son filed a murder case at Banani Police Station, the joint commissioner said.

Ismail was travelling from Jamalpur to Gazipur's Kashimpur with Tk5 lakh from a land sale. 

His son Hasan was waiting at Jirani bus stand, but Ismail's phone was switched off.

Police reviewed CCTV footage and noticed suspicious movement by a bus. 

They later seized a Raj Classic bus from Mohakhali bus stand and arrested supervisor Saju alias Limon and helper Monir Hossain.

Driver Sohel Rana was arrested later.

According to Faruk, the three suspects admitted during preliminary interrogation to their involvement in the murder.

They allegedly told police that Ismail boarded the bus at Dighpai bus stand in Jamalpur around 4:30am on Friday. When supervisor Saju asked for the fare, Ismail took money from his lungi fold.

Saju noticed the large amount of cash and told the driver, who then planned to rob Ismail, the officer said.

As part of the plan, the bus skipped Chandura bus stand and dropped off other passengers at different locations in Gazipur before heading towards Dhaka.

The supervisor and helper allegedly tied Ismail's face and hands with scotch tape and strangled him with a towel. 

After confirming his death, they reportedly travelled via the elevated expressway, made a U-turn near Banani and dumped his body while heading back towards the airport.

Although Ismail was carrying Tk5 lakh, the suspects claimed they took only around Tk2.5 lakh.

Faruk said Ismail had fallen asleep after boarding the bus early in the morning. The supervisor told him he would wake him at his destination.

After other passengers were dropped off, the suspects allegedly kept Ismail on the bus and later killed him when they got the opportunity, he added.