One habildar, three sepoys – Chittagong railway’s oil theft story. They also staged a very neat play. Rules left! Caught playing on cc camera. That day was October 26. Only the morning light is shining. The four of them stole gallons of oil from a wagon of Chittagong Goods Port Yard (CGPY) in the dark. He is storing oil in the nearby bushes. Four people’s faces are clear in the footage. It can be seen there, the house mice are cutting the fence!
One of them is Railway Security Force (RNB) sepoy Mahmudul Hasan. He spent more than 9 years in CGPY. After that, in March 2022, he was transferred to CRB, Chittagong Railway Eastern Region Headquarters. Shahidul Islam, another sepoy who had served in CGPY for 14 years, was transferred along with Mahmudul at that time. However, the two did not have to stay in CRB for long. Two soldiers returned to the CGPY in Birdarp before a year had passed. Back there, he indulged in the old habit of stealing oil. The remaining two of the four thieves were members of the railway security forces Habildar Aminul Haque and Sipahi Md. Cowser.
A review of one month’s CCTV footage collected from CGPY till October 26 showed that these security forces stole 16 rounds of oil in the same month. A few others were with them at different times. RNB’s job is to ensure the safety of railway assets. However, the investigation revealed that some members of the security forces, some railway officials and outsiders are stealing valuable parts of trains along with oil smuggling. Especially the members of the security forces involved in these incidents have created a way of illegal income by staying in the same workplace for 10 to 15 years. They have multiple cycles of association.
16 footage of oil theft
In CGPY, oil theft and smuggling happen from time to time from oil wagons. RNB Habildar Aminul Haque, Sepahi Mahmudul Hasan, Shahidul Islam and Md. Kausar is one of the members of this circle. A perusal of the CCTV footage near the yard master’s office in CGPY alone revealed that at least 16 incidents of oil theft from oil wagons took place in a month till October 26. Each time these four members of RNB were in mischief. These CCTV footages have come to Samakal. It can be seen that the top of the wagon was opened and the oil was stolen in gallons. Last October 26 at 5:20 am, the four people were seen stealing oil from a wagon and taking it to the nearby bushes. The next day, on October 27, the yard master’s eyes widened when he saw the scene of the theft in the CCTV footage. He informed CGPY Inspector Abu Sufian in writing to take action in this regard. After that the matter became known.
According to a reliable source of RNB, Sepahi Maksud and Nazrul Kabir of RNB Chittagong Intelligence Branch were in charge of the wagon from which oil was stolen on October 26. They were also involved in oil theft. Inspector Yasin of the Intelligence Branch knew about this. But he did not take action against them due to unseen reasons.
is the house of Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan, the adviser in charge of the railway ministry of the interim government, in Chittagong’s Sandwip. The house of RNB Sepahi Mahmudul is also in the same area. Based on this, he sent a complaint letter to the advisor’s WhatsApp number on October 28. It is written, ‘on October 27 at around 3:30 pm after the duty, apart from him, Habildar Aminul Haque, Sepah Shahidul Islam and Md. Kausar went to Saltgola area for tea and breakfast. They suspect that oil is being stolen from an oil wagon stationed there. At this time they caught both of them hand in hand. In the interrogation, they posted Habildar Jasim Uddin, Naik Md. of CGPY of RNB. Yasin, Sepahi Bablu, CGPY Yard Master Abdul Malek, New Mooring Yard Incharge Mrinal Kanti Das and Pointsman Abu Taher said they stole the oil. At one stage of the interrogation, the people of the two persons attacked and took them away. It is claimed that Mahmudul Hasan was injured in the attack. The advisor forwarded the WhatsApp message to a senior railway official concerned. And on the basis of this message, without checking, on the instructions of the Divisional Manager of Chittagong Railway Eastern Region, Commandant of RNB Chittagong Md. Shahid Ullah suspended three members of RNB in an order. Apart from this, in a separate order, the concerned authorities temporarily suspended 9 people including train driver, assistant driver.
According to the evidence
, Habildar Aminul, Sepahi Mahmudul, Shahidul and Kawsar are the real members of the oil smugglers and thieves gang. At one point they even admitted the matter. However, they staged a planned drama to escape from this incident. Distance from CGPY to Saltgola is four kilometers. The fact that he went so far to eat breakfast at 3:30 am after duty on October 27 raises questions. Moreover, if you want to carry out any kind of operation, you have to go to the workplace. Even if you want to leave the workplace barracks, you have to inform the responsible officer. But they didn’t do any of that. Basically, as the matter of oil theft is known, they try to get away with framing others. But the end was not saved.
On the other hand,
after receiving the message from the railway advisor, the assistant traffic officer of Chittagong, Railway East region suspended five of the accused. A three-member investigation committee was formed headed by Moniruzzaman. In the investigation report that they submitted last Monday, it is said that RNB Habildar Aminul Haque, Sepahi Mahmudul Hasan, Shahidul Islam and Md. Kausar went outside the workplace with bad intentions. Because of this, they staged a drama. But that drama did not work for them.
The head of the investigation team is the assistant traffic officer of Chittagong railway in the eastern region. Moniruzzaman told Samakal, ‘Everything has a chain of command. The RNB habildar directly reported a complaint to the railway advisor’s WhatsApp number in writing without informing his superiors. It is unethical. They wanted to hang some innocent colleagues to save themselves by committing oil theft. These facts have come out in the investigation. The real culprits are those four. These issues have been highlighted in the report submitted to the authorities.’
There was no punishment, so
on December 5, 2021, the then RNB Inspector of CGPY Amanat Ullah Aman wrote a letter to the Chief Commandant of the Eastern Region of the Army to take departmental action against 10 members of various ranks of the Aman Force. In it various misdemeanors including theft of oil and valuable railway parts were highlighted against them. In which the names were Sepahi Mahmudul Hasan and Shahidul Islam. However, no disciplinary action was taken against them. On the contrary, they returned to their old workplace and stole oil and valuable train parts from the wagons in the same manner. RNB Chittagong Commandant Md
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Shahid Ullah told Samakal, “The army is being discredited because of a few members. The incident of oil theft is undesirable. But the investigation revealed the truth. Those who are innocent have been acquitted. Action is being taken against the real culprits.’
In this regard, Railway Eastern General Manager Nazmul Islam told Samakal, ‘I have not yet received the report of the committee formed to investigate the oil scam. But if it is true that they have committed the crime themselves, then strict action will be taken against them.
Source: samakal