On Monday, a series of daytime robberies at Himchhari Dhala on the Eidgaon–Eidgar–Baishari road in Cox’s Bazar instilled fear in passengers travelling along this important route.
Vehicles are being stopped by trees and other obstacles placed across the road, after which passengers are held at gunpoint and taken into nearby forests, where they are beaten and robbed of cash, mobile phones and valuables.
Victims said more than 100 passengers in 50 to 60 vehicles were robbed in two separate incidents within a few hours.
The incidents occurred on Monday morning and around noon, according to the victims. They said a group of 10 to 12 masked and armed men had positioned themselves along a secluded stretch of the road, stopping vehicles and carrying out robberies. Most of the targeted vehicles were CNG-run auto-rickshaws and motorcycles.
Md Robiul Islam, manager of a non-governmental organisation’s Eidgar branch, said he was travelling from Eidgaon Bazar to Eidgar on a motorcycle with a colleague around noon, carrying Tk 120,000.
When they reached Himchhari Dhala, masked armed robbers stopped them and took them into a nearby forest, where they were beaten. The robbers took their cash, two mobile phones and important documents, he said.
Robiul claimed the gang had stopped and looted vehicles one after another for nearly two hours.
The robbers also targeted Abdul Hakim, an accountant at another NGO, on the same road. While riding in an auto-rickshaw with two others, he was stopped by robbers.
The three were held at gunpoint, taken into the forest and beaten. The robbers took Tk 150,000 and a bank cheque book, Hakim alleged.
He said robberies frequently occurred on the road and there were also allegations of abductions for ransom. He added that passengers continued to travel in fear due to the lack of effective safety measures.
Mohammad Tarek, a resident of Eidgar, said he was travelling from Eidgaon to Eidgar in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw carrying five passengers in the morning when robbers stopped the vehicle at Himchhari Dhala and snatched his mobile phone.
As the situation became dangerous, he said he jumped from the moving auto-rickshaw to escape.
Victims alleged that police patrols were absent from the scene despite the robberies continuing for an extended period. They said the gang was exploiting security gaps along the isolated road running through hilly forest areas, putting residents of Eidgaon, Eidgar and Baishari, as well as other travellers, at serious risk.
Police have launched an operation to identify and arrest those involved.
Eidgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge ATM Sifatul Majdar said local criminals had placed obstacles across the road, looted vehicles and then taken shelter in nearby forests.
Several police teams were working to arrest them, he said.
The OC reported that police patrols had intensified in the deep forest areas along the 17-kilometre Eidgaon–Eidgar–Baishari road. Operations to identify and apprehend the robbers were continuing, but no one had been arrested as of Monday evening.
The daytime robberies have turned travel along the road into a source of fear for passengers. Local residents have called for the swift arrest of the robbers and regular police patrols to ensure safe travel.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Collected
