Customs official ‘threatened’ after seizure of illegal liquor

A customs official has filed a complaint with police, alleging that he received threats over the seizure of more than 36,000 bottles of illegal liquor that were en route to Munshiganj from Chattogram port.

Rashedur Rahman, an assistant revenue officer, filed the complaint with Chattogram EPZ Police Station on Jul 24, said Kabirul Islam, chief of the police station. Police are waiting for court permission to open an investigation.

The customs authorities seized the liquor in Narayanganj’s Sonargaon on Jul 22 with the help of the Rapid Action Battalion on Jul 22 after the haul left Chattogram port in two containers.

A Munshiganj-based ring of smugglers brought the liquor to Bangladesh by using fake import permits and false declarations for the import of threads and machinery, the RAB said.

Awami League leader Azizul Islam and his two sons were identified as the prime suspects in these illegal imports.

Azizul and his elder son Mizanur Rahman Ashik escaped arrest by fleeing to Dubai, allegedly a strong base for the liquor smuggling network. The younger son, Abdul Ahad, was arrested in the Dhaka airport area.

The ring was responsible for three more consignments of illegal liquor imports containing almost 48,000 bottles this year and the primary buyers were some hotels, bars and clubs in Dhaka.

Rashedur said on Friday that the customs high-ups were informed about the two containers some days ago. Later, an operation led to the seizure of the liquor.

A person named “Rayhan” called Rashedur via WhatsApp by using a foreign number and threatened him after the incident, according to the customs official. He informed his senior colleagues in customs and filed the general diary on their instruction.

Another customs official, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said Rashedur shared information on shipment of illegal liquor with his superiors which led the perpetrators to threaten him.