Army man held with phensidyl

Sirajganj police arrested an army major and his cousin from the west end of Bangabandhu Bridge on charge of carrying 780 bottles of phensidyl early yesterday.
Police said the arrestees were Major Reza Shah Mohammad Zillullah of Dhaka Engineering Corps, now posted to Combined Military Hospital, in Dhaka and his cousin Abu Sadat Mohammad Milon of Mirzapur Purbapara village in Rajshahi.
Sirajganj Superintendent of Police (SP) Mosharraf Hossain said a case was filed with Jamuna Bridge west police station against Maj Reza and Milon.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police in Rajshahi Md Mukhlesur Rahman told The Daily Star that police arrested them while they were carrying the contraband items in the car.
The DIG said Reza was handed over to Bogra Cantonment early yesterday while his cousin was produced before the court that sent him to jail.
Steps would be taken as per the law and investigation requirements, the DIG added.
Our Sirajganj Correspondent adds: After the arrest of the army major, police informed Bangladesh Army and a team of army personnel took the major to Bogra Cantonment.
Sources said police challenged Maj Reza and Milon when they were crossing the Gol Chattar area of Bangabandhu Bridge by a private car at around 12:30am and recovered 780 bottles of phensidyle after searching the car.
The major and his associate were on the way to Dhaka from Patnitola in Naogaon, added the sources.
Maj Reza resides in Azimpur and is posted in the Combined Medical Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.
Police said Milon is the owner of the drugs and Reza was escorting him for Tk 30,000.
During preliminary interrogation, Reza said earlier he had escorted four times in this manner.
In a press release, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Sirajganj police detained an army officer on Friday night from Bangabandhu Bridge area after some bottles of phensidyl were found in his car.
The army authorities received the officer soon after police informed them, the press release said.
The ISPR said it was a stray incident and the investigation is underway. Legal steps would be taken to protect the image of the armed forces.

Courtesy of The Daily Star