Barisal, August 8 — In a dramatic turn of events, students in Barisal city arrested Harunor Rashid, the Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD) in Patuakhali, after discovering a substantial amount of cash and gold ornaments in his possession. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon in the Chaumatha area of Barisal while the students were performing traffic control duties amidst the ongoing unrest in the country.

The incident unfolded when a group of students, led by Asif, noticed a black private car (Dhaka Metro C 35 - 4664) attempting to overtake other vehicles at high speed. The driver’s suspicious behavior prompted the students to stop the car for inspection. Upon searching the vehicle, they found several bags containing Tk 20 lakh in cash and a large quantity of gold ornaments.

Harunor Rashid, who was in the car with his family, admitted to the students that he was fleeing the country to India. He was immediately detained by the students, who then informed the army about the situation.

Major Rashed, an army officer present at the scene, confirmed that Harunor Rashid identified himself as the Executive Engineer of Patuakhali Public Works Department. According to Major Rashed, the students played a crucial role in preventing the escape of the suspect, who was attempting to flee with his family to India amidst the ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh.

"We were informed by the students after they stopped the suspicious vehicle and found the money and gold. We took immediate action, arrested him, and handed him over to the police through the magistrate," said Major Rashed.

This arrest adds another layer to the already tense situation in Bangladesh, where nationwide protests and unrest have been ongoing for weeks. The discovery of such a large amount of cash and gold with a government official raises serious questions about the extent of corruption within the administration, particularly during this period of crisis.

Authorities are currently investigating the matter to determine the source of the money and gold, as well as the full extent of Harunor Rashid's involvement in any illegal activities. His attempted escape to India suggests that he may have been aware of impending actions against him, further implicating him in potential corruption.

As the situation continues to develop, this arrest highlights the active role that citizens, particularly students, are playing in maintaining order and exposing wrongdoing in the country.