The Detective Division (DB) of the Bangladesh Police has reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling the numerous counterfeit stamp and currency syndicates operating across the country.

DB Joint Commissioner Talebur Rahman announced today (October 29) during a briefing at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters that four members of the stump union were arrested in connection with the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit stamps worth an estimated Tk 15 crore.

He said the arrests were made yesterday (October 28) based on an intelligence report which led the DB team to launch a campaign against the union’s operational center in Dhaka.

“During our raids, we recovered counterfeit stamps worth around Tk 14.76 crore. Besides, we seized material worth Tk 40 lakh used in illegal production of these stamps,” Talebur Rahman told reporters.

The crackdown began with a raid on a printing press on Hatirmia Lane in Fakirapool and widened following information provided by arrested union member Alim Sheikh.

Further operations took DB to several other locations, including printing houses in Bijoy Swarani, Mirpur and Savar.

Those arrested are notorious syndicate figures Mozah Hajera Begum and Mohammad Jahangir Alam Jibon, who were detained in Madhya Paikpara, Mirpur, with confiscated counterfeit stamps.

Another DB team arrested syndicate member Masud Rana during a walk in Rajfulbari, Savar.

Union structure

The union would be made up of several people.

Police identified Mozammel Hossain as the main ringleader, with his wife Hajera Begum as an accomplice.

Rahman said other suspects were involved, although the exact number was not specified. One of the main suspects, Ripon Molla, remains at large.

“We have recovered a total of 33,75,500 counterfeit stamps, encompassing various denominations of Tk500, Tk200, Tk100 and Tk10,” Rahman said, adding that efforts to bring all members to justice are continuing.

Impact on the public

The issue of counterfeit currency and stamps has become a pressing concern in Bangladesh, where many unsuspecting citizens face harassment due to unknowingly possessing counterfeit currencies.

Nurjahan Begum (name changed for privacy reasons), a housewife in Dhaka, narrated an incident where a fake Tk1,000 note was detected during a shopping trip.

Although store staff behaved considerately, she noted the anxiety caused by such experiences, emphasizing the need to act decisively to prevent innocent citizens from being involved in criminal activity.

In response, DB pledged to step up its efforts against counterfeit currency and stamp production, with Rahman emphasizing that “those associated with this syndicate will be brought to justice.”

The law provides that those involved in counterfeiting or assisting in the process of counterfeiting are subject to imprisonment of up to seven years, in addition to financial penalties.