Committee formed to protect interests of Apan Jewellers’ customers

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) has formed a five-member arbitration committee to look into and safeguard the interests of Apan Jewellers’ customers.

Some 568 kg of gold that the CIID officials seized from Apan Jewellers contained some jewellery pre-booked and ordered by the customers.

The gold, diamonds and cash seized from five Apan outlets have been deposited into Bangladesh Bank.

The committee will decide how to return the gold or compensate the rightful customers who had booked or ordered ornaments with Apan, it said in a media statement on Tuesday.

The five-member committee, headed by the Joint Director of CIID Mohammad Safiur Rahman, will submit a report with recommendations within the next 10 working days.

The committee is comprised of representatives from the CIID, Bangladesh Jewellers Samity and Apan Jewellers.

“The legal aspects of the committee’s report will also be reviewed by consulting lawyers. The next decision regarding the 29 kg of gold and gold jewellery will be taken as per the existing law and by considering the interest of customers," according to the media release.

The committee will also have CIID deputy directors Zakir Hossain and HM Shariful Hasan as member secretary and member respectively.