6 held as detectives bust fake alcohol factory in Dhaka's Bhatara area

In the wake of 11 deaths from alcohol poisoning, detectives late last night busted a factory manufacturing fake alcohol in Dhaka's Bhatara area and held six members of a group involved in this connection.

Mashiur Rahman, deputy commissioner at Detective Branch (Gulshan Division) Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), confirmed the development to journalists.

A DB (Gulshan Division) team led by Deputy Commissioner Mashiur Rahman conducted the drive at the factory in Khilbarir Tek area under Bhatara Police Station from around 10:00pm on Monday night till around 12:00am today.

Following news of several deaths in Dhaka from alcohol poisoning in the last two days, the detectives began investigation to this end and tracked down the delivery person first and then the supplier and wholesaler, and in this way finally traced the factory location, Mashiur Rahman told The Daily Star.

The owner of the factory, Md Nasir, used to sell foreign alcohol after taking those from warehouses, while the "chief chemist" Md Jahangir used to sell old bottles of foreign liquor.

Both of them have been arrested along with four others during the drive, the DB official said.

The group used to buy a gallon of spirit from the capital's Mitford area for Tk 10,000. To this spirit, they would mix mineral water, sugar, colour and pour the mix in old bottles of foreign liquor. They would sell each bottle in the market at Tk 7,000-8,000, the deputy commissioner also said.

Due to drinking this spirit in excess, people have died, the DB official also said.

"We have already filed a case against these two masterminds [Nasir and Jahangir] and their four associates under Special Power Act.

Besides, murder cases will be also filed against the arrestees for intentionally selling harmful products that cost people's life," he added.

According to sources, a special instruction was issued from police to different warehouses in Dhaka not to sell liquor to unauthorised persons on December 15 last year.

A special instruction was also issued to different police stations of the city from the DMP commissioner to strengthen drives against illegal sale of liquor, said a high official of police, requesting anonymity.

A syndicate took advantage of the situation and started selling this fake alcohol to people, the official added.