A special court in Chittagong has delivered a landmark verdict in a high-profile heist case involving the theft of a sack containing millions in cash. On Sunday afternoon, Judge Md. Mizanur Rahman of the Chittagong Divisional Special Judge’s Court sentenced five individuals, including a former bank official and security personnel, for their involvement in the 2016 looting of BDT 5.05 million from Pubali Bank.
The Verdict and Sentencing
The legal proceedings, which have been closely watched by the financial sector, culminated in severe penalties for the perpetrators. According to Rezaul Karim, the legal counsel for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the court found the defendants guilty of orchestrating a coordinated theft while the funds were in transit.
The harshest sentence was reserved for the bank’s former driver, while the junior officer and security guards received significant decade-long prison terms. The judge ordered that all convicts be taken into immediate custody following the announcement of the verdict.
| Defendant Name | Former Designation | Sentence Imposed | Financial Penalty |
| Bijoy Kumar Das | Driver (CDA Corporate Branch) | Life Imprisonment | BDT 1 million fine (or 10,000 extra fine) |
| Rajibur Rahman | Junior Officer (Cash) | 10 Years Imprisonment | BDT 1 million fine (or 10 extra years) |
| Md. Ashikur Rahman | Security Guard | 10 Years Imprisonment | BDT 1 million fine (or 10 extra years) |
| Tanjur Rahman | Security Guard | 10 Years Imprisonment | BDT 1 million fine (or 10 extra years) |
| Mazharul Islam | Security Guard | 10 Years Imprisonment | BDT 1 million fine (or 10 extra years) |
Anatomy of the 2016 Heist
The incident dates back to the afternoon of 11 February 2016, and reads like a script from a crime thriller. Rajibur Rahman, then a Junior Cash Officer at the CDA Corporate Branch in Chittagong, set out to transport a significant sum of money. He first collected BDT 5,050,000 from the Sheikh Mujib Road branch.
Accompanied by three security guards and the driver, the team proceeded to the Sitakunda branch, where they collected an additional BDT 8.1 million. With a total of over BDT 13 million on board, the vehicle began its journey back to the CDA Corporate Branch. However, mid-transit, the narrative took a suspicious turn.
Rahman placed a frantic phone call to his superiors, claiming that one of the money sacks—specifically the one containing the BDT 5.05 million collected earlier—had mysteriously vanished from the moving vehicle.
Investigation and Legal Journey
The “missing sack” story quickly fell apart under scrutiny. Toufiqur Rahman, the then Assistant General Manager of the CDA Corporate Branch, filed a formal complaint at the Sitakunda Police Station that same night. Investigations revealed that the disappearance was not an accident or an external theft, but an internal conspiracy.
The police eventually submitted a charge sheet naming five suspects. The judicial process saw its primary breakthrough on 16 May 2022, when the court formally framed charges against the accused. Over the course of the trial, the court examined the testimonies of seven witnesses, whose evidence proved crucial in establishing the guilt of the bank staff and security detail.
This verdict serves as a stern warning regarding the internal security of financial institutions. It highlights the judiciary’s commitment to tackling white-collar crime and corruption within the banking sector, ensuring that those entrusted with public funds are held to the highest standard of accountability.