The Airport Armed Police Battalion last night arrested an employee of Biman Bangladesh Airlines with 68 gold bars worth around Tk 7.80 crore from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The arrestee is Shafiqul Islam, 33, aircraft mechanic of Biman, said APBn Additional Superintendent of Police Md Ziaul Haque.
"He was arrested from the airport hangar around 10:00pm," he said.
"The APBn's plain-clothes intelligence team was keeping watch on the airport's apron side as part of its routine duties. At 7:00pm, Bangladesh Biman Flight BG 383 from Kuala Lumpur arrived in Dhaka. At 9:30pm, the aircraft was brought to the hangar and parked in front of it after all operations. After finishing their work, the aircraft's technicians, cleaners, and other staff members departed one by one," he continued.
"At 10:00pm, when all aircraft operations were complete and no one else was aboard, Shafiqul Islam was seen to board the airplane very quickly. After observing his movement pattern, the APBn intelligence team had suspicions," Ziaul Haque siad.
APBn found the gold bars after searching him in the presence of other law enforcers, the ASP said. "During interrogation, he didn't give any clear answer about the source and the destination of the gold bars," he added.
The market value of the gold that was recovered is around Tk7.80 crore, according to the APBn.
In 2013, Shafiqul Islam began working for Biman Bangladesh Airlines as a temporary employee. In 2017, he was made permanent. The APBn official said steps were being taken to file a case against him.
