Several pieces of luggage belonging to cricketers from the Rajshahi Divisional Team have been recovered after eight of them were stolen off a covered van while the team was on its way to play a National Cricket League match.
Rajshahi District police and the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Security Department helped recover most of the luggage.
A total of eight pieces of luggage belonging to spinning all-rounder SM Meherob Hasan, pacer Mohor Sheikh Antor, pacer Ali Mohammad Walid and team boy Abdul Kader were stolen from a covered van on the way from Dhaka to Rajshahi.
The Rajshahi District police conducted a raid and recovered them.
The incident took place on Tuesday night as the cricketers left for Rajshahi by air from Dhaka while 54 pieces of their luggage were sent in a covered van.
However, when the van was opened upon reaching Rajshahi, the cricketers realised that eight pieces of luggage were missing. Meherob immediately went to Rajpara Police Station and filed a general diary over the missing luggage.
According to the chargesheet, Rajpara Police Station chief Abul Kalam Azad told bdnews24.com that the driver of the covered van stopped for lunch at a restaurant in the Puthia area on his way from Dhaka to Rajshahi. Before resuming his journey, he found the back door of the van open. The driver closed it and left for Rajshahi. Later, upon reaching Rajshahi, it was discovered that the goods were missing.
In the chargesheet, Meherob said that the luggage included his used clothes, his passport, an iPhone, Tk 300,000 and $300 in cash, as well as some electronics. In addition, Mohor's bag was also said to contain valuable electronics. Kader's bag contained spikes as well as sports equipment.
Although a general diary had been filed at Rajpara Police Station, since the incident took place in Puthia, Azad said that the Rajshahi and Natore district police are looking into the matter.
The recovered goods were handed over to the owners after they were called to the Rajshahi District superintendent of police's office.
Rajshahi team manager Taukir confirmed the news of the recovery, telling bdnews24.com: "We informed the police and BCB as soon as we learned about the loss of the luggage. Thanks to their prompt action, the belongings were recovered as soon as possible."
However, not all of the lost goods have been recovered yet.
Mohor said that while almost everything belonging to the others had been recovered, his luggage has yet to be found. He added that the Tk 300,000 in cash in Meherob’s luggage has not been found either.
The police have arrested two of the four people involved in the theft. Mohor and Meherob are scheduled to go to the spot with them on Thursday afternoon with the aim of recovering the rest of their belongings.
Rajshahi will face Barishal in the third round of the National League at the Divisional Stadium on Sunday