Perpetrators of 55kg gold missing from Dhaka airport customs warehouse bought 150 bhories of the precious metal from Baitul Mukarram Market at Tk 1.50 crore and kept it in the vault again to save skin.
They bought and returned the gold allegedly as per advice of senior officials of the customs department, investigators claimed.
Much-discussed 55kg gold stolen from locker of customs warehouse at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport was reportedly sold out to jewellers at Baitul Mukarram Market” in the capital.
Primary investigation shows that three persons including two customs officials are involved in stealing of the gold from the locker. They are being interrogated but not arrested yet.
The accused are customs officers Shahidul Islam, Saidul Islam Sahed and guard Niamat Hawlader.
Sources said access to locker is prevented by six step security measures which include punching card, search of body at collapsible gate, separate keys of every almirah and a vault to preserve the keys. Two designated officials are custodians of the keys. Staffs are not allowed in warehouse after closing the vault at night. So, it was not possible to steal the gold without consent of officials concerned.
Initially, 150 bhories were found missing and delinquent officials were suggested to refill it. When shortage of 55kg came to the notice, the customs high-ups disclaimed the responsibility. Rather, the high officials informed law enforcement agencies of the looting.
Customs department formed several probe committees and cancelled it.
Finally, a 12-member probe body led by Kazi Farid Uddin, Additional Commissioners of Custom House of Dhaka, has been formed on Wednesday.
The committee has been asked to submit report and recommendations by 15 working days. Information as to all gold seized by customs since 2020, the gold deposited with Bangladesh Bank, present reserve, people involved in looting and recommendations to prevent burglary is required to be available in the report.
