Sreenagar Correspondent

It is alleged that five youths arrested in Sreenagar with a switchblade were released in exchange for 1.5 lakh taka.

 Following the incident, on Saturday night, Sub-Inspector (SI) Amir Hamza of Sreenagar Police Station was withdrawn and attached to the Munshiganj District Police Lines.

It is reported that five youths from Mandra village under Bhagyakul Union in Srinagar upazila went to visit Samurbari in Louhajang upazila on Friday afternoon. On their way back, around 9 PM, they were detained by SI Amir Hamza of Srinagar Police Station while patrolling the Goalimandra area of Srinagar, on suspicion.The detainees were:Sampad Shikdar (25)Md. Akash Sheikh (26)Md. Antor (27)Md. Hanif (26)Md. Pannu (28)Among them, Md. Hanif is a psychology student at the University of Dhaka, and Sampad Shikdar is studying in the Maulana division of a madrasa. A switchblade was recovered from Akash during the arrest. Hearing of the arrest, their family members rushed to the police station around 10:30 PM.The next morning, a vehicle was summoned from the district to take the detainees to Munshiganj court. Although other arrestees were sent to court that day, these five youths were not. Instead, they were released into their families' custody around 4 PM.Later that night, Akash released a video message stating that they were freed by Srinagar police in exchange for 1.5 lakh taka. He further alleged that the deal was likely made with SI Amir Hamza. The video went viral on social media around 11:30 PM, causing widespread uproar. Subsequently, the Munshiganj District Police withdrew SI Amir Hamza to the police lines.Another source claimed that 1 lakh taka was paid on Saturday for the release, and the remaining 50,000 was supposed to be paid on Sunday morning. However, after Akash’s video surfaced, pressure began to mount on the families. When a reporter visited Akash’s home in Bhagyakul’s Mandra area on Sunday afternoon, his mother said that family members of the other four youths had come earlier that morning and threatened her.

Akash’s wife reported that he had been receiving threats over the phone since releasing the video and has since gone into hiding. He works in Dhaka as an elevator mechanic and had returned home for Eid.

When contacted, SI Amir Hamza, who was withdrawn from Srinagar Police Station, said,

“I found the five youths along with a switchblade and brought them to the station. The decision to release or charge arrestees lies with higher authorities. I only follow orders, and I did not even get a cup of tea in return for releasing them.”OC of Sreenagar Police Station, Shakil Ahmed, stated that the incident is under investigation.“We haven’t confirmed the money exchange yet,” he said.When asked why the youths were released despite being caught with a switchblade, he claimed,

Additional Superintendent of Police (Sreenagar Circle) Anisur Rahman said the detainees had no prior criminal records.