DHAKA: For the first time in country’s history, customs authorities of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport detained a North Korean diplomat along with 27 kilograms of gold on Thursday night.
The detained diplomat was identified as Song Yang Nam, first secretary (economics and commercial) of North Korean High Commission to Bangladesh.
Assistant Superintendent (media) of Armed Police Battalion (APBn) Tanjina Akhter told banglanews that the diplomat landed at the airport from a flight of Singapore Airlines around 10:30pm of Thursday.
Later, the customs officials wanted to check his luggage while he was crossing the Green Channel. During the time, the envoy hid his identity and protested his luggage checking.
On suspicion customs officials asked about his identity, but the person reiterated that this was a diplomatic luggage and cannot be scanned and he crossed the Green Channel quickly.
But the members of APBn detained him and took to their office while four officials of North Korean High Commission including the high commissioner Mun Song Ho, who were waiting for him, went to the APBn office and hiding their identity, asked the officials to release Nam.
Meanwhile APBn commanding officer Rashedul Hasan, customs commissioner Hossain Ahmed and joint commissioner Kazi Mohammad Ziauddin and other high-ups rushed here.
At a stage, they successfully scanned the luggage and recovered 170 gold bars, weighed 19 kilograms and ornaments of eight kilogram gold.
Later, they were taken to police custody where they disclose their identities after six long hours.
Of information, astounded foreign ministry officials rushed to the custody and confirmed the identities of the envoys.
Later, the foreign ministry officials, APBn officials, customs and detective branch high ups hold meetings and decided to release the five diplomats under the Vienna Treaty, Tanjina added.
Terming the incident “unexpected” and “sorrowful”, Ziauddin observed that the government should take actions against the act.
BDST: 1012/2020 HRS, MAR 06, 2015
