Biman fails to pay three months old Tk 2 million fines for smuggling

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is behind on payment of a Tk 2 million fine the customs slapped it with more than three months ago for smuggling gold.

Dhaka Customs House penalised Biman in September last year.

It also confiscated Biman’s Boeing 737 Moyurponkhi and asked the flag carrier to pay Tk 500,000 to get the aircraft back.

Moyurponkhi

But the airline got the plane released by signing a bond without paying the additional fines, Dhaka Customs House Assistant Commissioner Umar Mubin told bdnews24.com.

Customs officials recovered gold bars weighing 10.3 kilograms at an estimated market price of Tk 51.5 million on May 12, 2016 from the aircraft’s toilet.

Biman blamed a syndicate for the smuggling of the gold in its own investigation.

It also suspected members of its catering service and engineering departments were involved in the smuggling as it was difficult for any passenger to hide the gold bars inside the toilet accessories of the aircraft.    

The customs officials, however, were not convinced by the Biman report, saying its investigation was ‘incomplete’ as it did not name the suspects.

Asked about the fines, Biman Chairman Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari told bdnews24.com he had seen reports on the issue on the media.

”The MD can give you the detail about it,” he said.

Biman Managing Director AM Mosaddique Ahmed could not be reached for comments by bdnews24.com.

Shakil Meraj, a general manager of Biman, said he was not aware of the matter.

Newly appointed Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shajahan Kamal told bdnews24.com he would find out about the issue and act accordingly.

“I will take Biman forward by correcting the mistakes of the past. Anyone found involved in any crime will face legal action,” he asserted.