New heist bid at Sonali Bank

Thieves have tried to break into a Sonali Bank branch in Rajshahi city by digging a tunnel, police say. However, a pedestrian intervened to foil their Thursday night’s attempt. Police have found instruments used in the heist attempt at the scene. The attempted heist coincides with Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman visit to the northern district to attend a bank managers’ council. ‘The miscreants were digging a tunnel behind the bank’s vault,’ said Rajparha police OC Mehedi Hasan. ‘A pedestrian walking by heard noises and peeked to see what was going on behind the walls. The burglars fled as the pedestrian screamed,’ he added. Sonali Bank’s Rajshahi Court Branch is located by the street but surrounded by an estimated five-feet wall. OC Hasan said the robbers had dug a nearly 2-and-a-half feet tunnel. Rajshahi Metropolitan Police’s deputy commissioner and bank officials rushed there on the news. Police say they are trying to catch the culprits, according to a news agency.