Awami League leader Razzaque wants raid on all jewellers for 'smuggling gold‎'

Ruling Awami League leader Abdur Razzaque suspects other gold jewellery shops are involved with smuggling and wants customs detectives to raid them alongside Apan Jewellers.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 May 2017, 09:46 PM
Updated : 24 May 2017, 09:46 PM

"Is Apan Jewellers the only shop smuggling in gold or are there any other shops involved in it. It has to be investigated thoroughly. Identify who are the big shots involved in it," the former food minister said.

The chief of the parliamentary standing committee on finance ministry was speaking at a programme organised by the VAT Online Project at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh in Kakrail on Wednesday.

The Customs Intelligence ‎and Investigation Directorate raided all the Apan Jewellers stores and seized 300 kg gold after one of the owners, Dildar Ahmed's son Shafat Ahmed was arrested on charges of raping two university girls at a Banani hotel.

Dildar has been questioned about the procurement of gold without valid papers.

"Why were the raids conducted after the charges of rape surfaced? It should be a routine work,” Razzaque said.

"You have to reassess your strategy of conducting such work," he asked the customs. "Why would such steps be taken when another crime is reported?"

‎He suggested that the customs involve other intelligence agencies to stop gold smuggling.

National Board of Revenue Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman and members Jahangir Hossain and Md Rezaul Hassan also spoke.

About the Raintree hotel in Banani, where the alleged rapes took place, Razzaque said, "There are other hotels which are being run without proper authorisation, those need to be investigated to."

The hotel is run by the children of an Awami League MP.

Customs intelligence has seized‎ 10 bottles of wine stored without valid documents at the hotel.