APBn arrests Biman employee with gold bars worth Tk8 crore from Dhaka airport

The Armed Police Battalion has arrested an employee of Biman Bangladesh Airlines with 68 gold bars worth Tk7.80 crore from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport last night.

"The arrestee has been identified as Shafiqul Islam, 33, an aircraft mechanic working for the national flag carrier. He was arrested from the airport hangar at 10pm on Sunday (21 August)," Additional Police Superintendent of Airport Armed Police Mohammad Ziaul Haque told The Business Standard.

"As part of its regular activities, the plain-clothed intelligence team of the Airport Armed Police Battalion was monitoring the apron side of the airport. Bangladesh Biman Flight BG 383 from Kuala Lumpur landed at Dhaka at 7pm. After all operations the aircraft was taken to the hangar at 9:30pm at night, and parked in front of the hangar. The aircraft's technicians, cleaners and other staff left the aircraft one by one after completing their work," he added.

"At 10pm after the completion of all operations of the aircraft, when there was no one else in the aircraft, the accused Shafiqul Islam was seen to board the Boeing 777 model very quickly. The intelligence team of Airport APBn suspected after seeing his movement pattern and movement," ASP Mohammad Ziaul Haque said. 

According to the APBn, the market value of recovered gold is Tk7.80 crore.

Shafiqul Islam joined Biman Bangladesh Airlines as a casual staff in 2013 and became a permanent employee in 2017. 

Preparations are underway to file a case against him, the APBn official further said.