7 charged over robbery at Liberation War Museum trustee Sarwar Ali’s house

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) today pressed charges against seven people for robbing Liberation War Museum trustee Dr Sarwar Ali's house in the capital's Uttara on January 5.

PBI Inspector Md Tariqul Islam, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted two charge sheets -- one against six adults and the other against a juvenile -- to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka on charge of the robbery.

The accused are: Sheikh Nazmul Islam, 30, ex-driver of Sarwar, his brother Sheikh Rony, 25, their accomplices, Faisal Kabir Sadbir, 26, Md Monir Hossain, 20, Al Amin Mollick,26, Nur Mohammad Mollah, 21, and a 16-year-old.

The IO submitted one of the charge sheets against the 16-year-old under the Juvenile Act as he is underage.

In the charge sheet, the IO said Nazmul was the mastermind behind the attack.

The charge sheet will be placed before the court for its next course of action after reopening of all regular courts, an official of the court said.

The attackers held at least two meetings at two hotels in Ashkona area on January 4 and January 5 before carrying out the attack, the charge sheet said.

All the accused were earlier arrested and they are now in jail.

On January 5, two criminals attempted to kill Dr Sarwar Ali at his home in Dhaka's Uttara area.

Although Sarwar escaped unhurt, his wife Makhduma Nargis, daughter Sayma Ali, son-in-law Humayun Kabir and two of his neighbours sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The following day, Sarwar Ali filed a case with Uttara Paschim Police Station against two named and several others unnamed in this regard.

Police seized seven machetes, a mobile phone set, an electric water heater, chemical spray and synthetic rope that were left behind by the criminals from the spot.

Following the incident, police arrested the juvenile day labourer, who took part in the attack after being lured by one Sheikh Nazmul Islam, a former driver of Sarwar, said a PBI official.

PBI also said the arrestee was outside the building when two attackers went to Sarwar's house on the night of January 5.

Nazmul told his accomplices that there was some money and gold ornaments at Sarwar's house and promised to share those with them after the robbery.