Keraniganj police quoting family members said a gang of around 22 robbers cut open window grills and entered the one-storey house of Kuwait expatriate Mohammad Milon at Abdullahpur at around 1:00am.

Equipped with firearms, machetes and iron rods, the bandits took the family members hostage and tied them up with ropes. They beat up the family members injuring six as they did not hand over the keys to the almiras.

The robbers finally broke open all almiras and looted 82 tolas of gold ornaments, Tk 3.50 lakh and US $2,000 in cash. They took their time and spent around two hours to complete their mission before leaving the house safely with the booty.

Locals were suspicious of the role of the police stationed within a kilometre of the crime scene during this long robbery. Police was supposed to beef up the patrolling in the area as four such incidents took place at Abdullahpur in the last two months.

Meanwhile in the capital, burglars broke into Mobile Link, a cellular phone sales centre at Lake Circus in Dhanmondi, and stole cellular phones, prepaid cards and other accessories worth Tk 3.32 lakh.

Dhanmondi police said the burglary might have taken place some time between 10:30pm on Wednesday and 5:00am early yesterday after the owner of the store closed the store at 10:30pm on Wednesday.

The storeowner found the collapsible gate of the store busted and goods stolen when he came to open the store at 9:00am yesterday.

Police could not arrest anyone in connection with any of the incidents till 7:30pm yesterday.