2 foreigners arrested for 'robbery'

Police yesterday arrested two Iranian citizens on charges of robbery at a filling station in Faridpur.

The duo identified as Davod Yar Beigi Darvishand, 36, and Ali Reza alias Fiyouj, 28, are residents of Karaz in Iran. According to the passports recovered from them, they came to Bangladesh on tourist visas on May 4 and the visas will expire on May 29.

Four foreigners, including them, in two silver private cars went to M/s Tofazuddin Filling Station in Nagarkanda upazila on Dhaka-Barisal highway around 4:30pm yesterday. They entered the room of Md Kamaruzzaman, manager of the petrol pump, snatched away Tk 62,500 threatening him and left, said police and the owner of the filling station.

The manager then followed the vehicles on a motorcycle and found them parked in front of United Filling Station. With the help of local people, he held the Iranians around 5:30pm but the two others managed to flee in one of the two cars.

Sub-inspector Miraj Hossain of Faridpur Kotwali Police Station said police on information arrested them.

The Iranians were then handed over to Nagarkanda police since the robbery took place in an area under Nagarkanda Police Station.

Confirming the incident, SI Sukanta Dutta of Nagarkanda PS said police recovered Tk 15,000 from the arrestees.

Jamal Meer who owns Tofazuddin Filling Station filed a case with Nagarkanda PS against the Iranians and two other unknown persons.

The arrestees were produced before the district chief judicial magistrate who sent them to jail.