Ansar member held with yaba

The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested an on-duty Ansar member with nine pieces of yaba tablets from Dhaka Medical College Hospital in early hours yesterday. 

Asad Miah, 35, was arrested along with the pills from the basement of DMCH Building-2 around 1:00am based on a tip-off, said Sub-Inspector Bachchu Miah, in-charge of police outpost at DMCH.

Asad was then handed over to Shahbagh police, he added.

Officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station Abul Hasan said after quizzing Asad Miah, police came to learn that Shakhawat, another Ansar member, was also involved with yaba trade in the DMCH area.

Shakhawat is now absconding, he said, adding that they were trying to arrest him.

Police produced Asad Miah before a Dhaka court in a case filed in this connection yesterday and the court sent him to jail.

DMCH Director Brig Gen AKM Nasiruddin told The Daily Star that a total of 240 Ansar members are deployed in the DMCH area.

“We have informed authorities concerned of the Ansar department about the arrest of Asad along with yaba. The authorities have held a meeting and warned the Ansar members of serious punishments if they involve themselves in such activities,” he said.

Brig Gen Nasiruddin said the DMCH authorities had earlier sent letters to the Rab headquarters and local police informing about suspicious movements of outsiders on the DMCH and DMC compounds.