Another highway robbery: Miscreants rob passengers of BRTC bus, microbus in Naogaon

Five days after a robbery on a Dhaka-Rajshahi night coach in Natore, another robbery took place on a BRTC bus and a microbus in Naogaon's Patnitala upazila on Saturday night. 

The robbers blocked the road by felling trees to stop the vehicles, said supervisor of the bus, Ratan Kumar Saha, reports UNB. 

As of 10pm last night, police have not arrested anyone in this connection. 

According to Ratan, the bus left Rajshahi terminal for Niamatpur upazila of Naogaon around 8:45pm that night. It came to a stop around 11:45 PM after spotting tree logs blocking the Nazipur-Sapahar road between the Manashi and Karamjhai areas.

The microbus also stationed behind the bus noticing the road block, he added.

The masked robbers first shattered the bus windows, forced their way inside, and snatched cash, seven to eight mobile phones, and ornaments from the passengers, the bus supervisor said.

Ratan stated that valuables worth approximately Tk3 lakh were stolen from the bus passengers. He added that the robbers also targeted the microbus and snatched valuables from the driver.

Patnitala police station's Officer-in-charge Enayetur Rahman said in the afternoon that action would be taken if complaints are lodged in this regard.

For an update on the police response, a TBS correspondent repeatedly called the Patnitala OC, but he did not answer.

Last Monday night, a similar robbery occurred on a Dhaka-Rajshahi bus operated by Unique Road Royals' "Amri Travels." The robbers hijacked the moving bus, keeping it under their control for nearly three hours.

In addition to the robbery, passengers alleged that female passengers were harassed during the incident.

Sirajul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Baraigram Police Station in Natore, was closed and attached to the police lines for his alleged negligence in handling the robbery and harassment of two female passengers.