A youth was attacked with a machete and robbed in broad daylight in Dhaka’s Moghbazar area on 18 May. The incident, captured on CCTV, has since gone viral on social media.
According to police, no formal complaint has been filed yet, but they have contacted the victim after reviewing the footage.
“We’ve seen the video. The victim has been identified as Abdullah, a housekeeping staff member at a hotel in Motijheel. The attackers took his mobile phone, worth Tk10,000, along with some cash,” said Mohammad Raju, Officer-in-Charge of Hatirjheel Police Station, to The Business Standard.
He added, “We’re analysing both the footage and Abdullah’s statement. A drive is underway to apprehend the culprits.”
The CCTV video, timestamped 5:22 PM on 18 May, shows Abdullah walking down an empty alley carrying a shoulder bag. A white motorcycle with three individuals approaches from the opposite direction.
Two of them, masked and wearing helmets, dismount and attempt to snatch his belongings. When Abdullah resists, they pull out a machete and begin attacking him.
Dogs can be heard barking in the background as the brutal assault continues. After snatching his bag, the assailants try to flee on the motorcycle. However, Abdullah grabs the front wheel in an attempt to stop them and pleads for his belongings.
In response, the attackers dismount once again and strike him repeatedly with the machete before fleeing the scene.
