Airport employee killed over dispute involving smuggling of 37,000 riyals

An airport official has been killed following a dispute over smuggling and sharing 37,000 Saudi Riyals in Chattogram.

The victim has been identified as Usman Sikder, an office assistant at Chattogram's Shah Amanat International Airport.

The matter was revealed through the confessional statement of one of the accused after the arrest of three suspects involved in the murder.

Patenga police station arrested Ibrahim Khalil, an electrician with the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Badal Majumder, a security guard at the airport, and their associate Md Arif last Thursday in connection with the case.

On Friday afternoon (13 December), Ibrahim Khalil gave a confessional statement before Additional Chief Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Sarkar Hasan Shahriar.

During interrogation, police learned that Usman Sikder was abducted from his residence and subsequently murdered due to a dispute over smuggling and distributing the 37,000 riyals through the airport.

Confirming the arrest of the three individuals, Patenga police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mahfuzur Rahman said, "One of the accused, Ibrahim Khalil, has confessed his crime in court. A drive is underway to apprehend the others involved," he added.

Usman Sikder resided in a government quarter near the airport. Around 3:00am on Wednesday, he was abducted from his house.

The following morning, police recovered his body from a link road adjacent to the airport. The body bore injury marks on the head and other parts.

Following the incident, Emran Sikder, Usman's brother, filed a murder case with Patenga police station, naming Ibrahim Khalil, Badal Majumder, and another individual, Md Russell from Fatikchhari, as suspects.

The case statement indicated that the murder was linked to unresolved financial transactions.

According to police and court sources, Ibrahim Khalil revealed in his statement that Md Russell of Fatikchhari had struck a deal with Usman Sikder to smuggle 37,000 Saudi Riyals through Shah Amanat International Airport.

However, Usman later informed Russell that airport officials had taken the riyals and that he could not deliver the money to the intended passengers who had already cleared immigration.

Subsequently, Ibrahim Khalil and other airport staff allegedly divided the money among themselves. Meanwhile, Russell continued to pressure Usman for the riyals.

When Usman threatened to expose those involved, the accused became enraged, abducted him from his house and killed him.

Emran Sikder, the plaintiff and brother of the deceased, claimed that Russell had pressured his brother and provided him with Tk9 lakh for the 37,000 riyals.

"I demand justice and strict punishment for everyone involved in my brother's murder," he said.

Group Captain Sheikh Abdullah Alamgir, director of Shah Amanat International Airport, stated that the airport authorities have formed a five-member investigation committee to probe the incident.

"The committee is actively working, and no one involved in this crime will be spared," he assured.