Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested “land grabber” Ziabul Hoque Zia, who has 44 criminal cases against him, from Cox’s Bazar district early this morning (November 6).

Md Kamruzzaman, additional superintendent of police and senior deputy director (law and media) of RAB-15, said that a team of RAB-15 arrested him from a relative’s house in Ramu upazila.

The RAB official also said that Zia was a terrorist in Choufaldandi union and was responsible for numerous crimes, including land grabbing, assault and illegal arms trade.

Elite forces had earlier raided his hideout and seized weapons and ammunition as well as more than 300 signed blank documents, but according to sources, Zia had managed to evade arrest at that time.

During the arrest made today, a local firearm and two bullets were seized.

According to the RAB official, during preliminary interrogation, Zia confessed that he had been committing crimes in Choufaldandi for 15 years.

Kamruzzaman said: “Zia’s criminal activities included illegally obtaining weapons, which he used to dominate the local population, seizing shrimp and salt farms, participating in drug dealing and other criminal enterprises.

“Earlier, when individuals tried to reclaim their property, Zia and his friends allegedly responded with gunfire, injuring two people,” he said.

After his arrest, Zia was handed over to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Police Station for further legal action.