DHAKA, March 25, 2025 (BSS) - Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in separate raids in the capital city on Monday arrested eight people, including the mastermind of the railway ticket black marketing ring.

The arrested were identified as ring leader Uttam Chandra Das, 34, son of Hari Das, Habib Ahmed, 26, son of Aminur Islam, and Md. Faruk, 55, son of Labu Sarkar, hailed from Mollabari of Kawla under Dakshinkhan thana, an outsourcing employee of Bangladesh Railway Md. Zubayer, 29, son of Md. Aminul Islam, of Holna Namapara village under the aforesaid thana, Md. Sohel Rana, 21, son of Md. Shariful Islam, of Mohakhali (Karail Basti) under Banani thana, Abdullah Al Mumin, 30, son of Md. Abul Hashem, of Ahmed Bag under Shajahanpur thana, Prakash Chandra Roy, 34, Kamruzzaman, 35, son of Khalilur Rahman, hailed from Kasai Bazar at Prominen Villa (fourth floor), a tenant of Sagar Saheb's house, under Dakshinkhan thana in the city.

RAB-1 personnel apprehended them from Airport and Kamalapur Railway Stations with several online tickets, 12 mobile phones and Taka 3,03,042 in cash.

Deputy Commander of the RAB-1 Lt Commander Mohammad Zakiul Karim briefed newsmen about the arrest at Uttara RAB-1 Headquarters here. 

The RAB has initiated an investigation into the railway ticket black marketing to find out real culprits, he said.

RAB made the arrest after intensifying intelligence upon receiving complaints of railway ticket black marketing.

In the primary investigation, it was found that some outsourcing railway staff along with some employees of the online ticket purchase platform shohoz.com have allegedly been involved in the misdeeds.

For the first time, Bangladesh Railway is selling 100 percent of its tickets through the online platform to stop ticket black marketing.

During the preliminary interrogation, Uttam Chandra Das confessed that he used to sale around 500-700 railway tickets in black market every year during the Eid season and thus earn about Taka three-four lakh illegally. 

There were four cases against Uttam Chandra Das with different police stations. 

Some dishonest employees of the online platform Shohoz.com confessed to being involved in the ticket black marketing with the arrested Prakash Chandra Roy. 

Of the arrestees, Kamruzzaman used to sell over 100-150 tickets per month in black market.

Cases were lodged against the eight arrested individuals with respective police stations in these connections.