BTL group CEO arrested

Police have arrested Mirza Abul Bashar, 35, CEO of BTL Group and the alleged mastermind of a fraud network accused of swindling crores of taka through schemes involving job placements, business investments, vehicle trading, and the purchase of sacrificial cattle in Dhaka and other parts of the country.

Bashar was arrested from the Gulshan-1 area at approximately 1:30 pm on Saturday following an intensive 18-hour operation, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner (Gulshan Division) M Tanvir Ahmed.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday night, the DMP official said a fraud case had been filed against Abul Bashar at Gulshan Police Station on December 23 last year over allegations of embezzling money through vehicle purchase and sale schemes. 

Investigating officers had conducted several operations at different times, but Bashar allegedly evaded arrest by frequently changing locations. Acting on confidential information, a specialized Gulshan Police team later learned that he was staying at a residence in the Gulshan-1 area and subsequently carried out the arrest operation, he added.

The police official further stated that Bashar had allegedly been operating an extensive fraud network for a long period across Dhaka and other regions of the country. Authorities claim he used various deceptive tactics, including offering false promises of employment, assurances of securing the release of accused individuals, fake business investment opportunities, and fraudulent activities involving vehicle transactions and cattle markets.

Police also said that multiple cases and arrest warrants have been filed against him at different police stations across the country.