Police have arrested two port employees over the mysterious disappearance of a container loaded with imported garments fabric worth several crores of taka from the country’s main seaport in Chattogram Port.
The two suspects were arrested during a raid conducted on Wednesday night by the Bandar Police Station of Chattogram Metropolitan Police.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Mizanur Rahman (35) and Abu Sufian (40). Mizanur Rahman, son of the late Wahab Akon, hails from Ulubaria village under Mathbaria upazila in Pirojpur district and worked as a senior external assistant at the port. Abu Sufian, son of the late Abu Taher from Shahid Ullah Master Bari in Senbagh upazila of Noakhali, was employed in the port’s Keep Down SC-188 section.
According to police sources, a 40-foot container carrying imported garments fabric from China went missing from the Chattogram Port yard sometime between August 4 last year and April 2 this year. The container had been imported by Gazipur-based industrial company Moyazzuddin Textile Limited. Sources concerned said the fabrics inside were worth several crores of taka.
Investigators said the container was unloaded from the vessel under the supervision of berth operator Bashir Ahmad after arriving at the port. It was later stored at the port’s JR Yard. When the importer’s assigned C&F agency, S Zaman & Brothers Pvt. Ltd., completed customs clearance and other formalities to receive delivery of the container, it could no longer be found in the yard.
A case was subsequently filed with Bandar Police Station.
Following the incident, both police and port authorities launched investigations. Based on document verification, container movement records, and interrogation of relevant individuals, police said evidence of involvement by the two port employees was found.
Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Abdur Rahim of Bandar Police Station said, “The incident is being investigated with utmost importance. Initial findings indicate the involvement of two port employees. They are currently being questioned. We are also investigating whether more individuals are connected to this syndicate.”
He further stated that investigators are examining how the container was removed from the port area, where the security lapses occurred, and whether any organized criminal network was involved.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the security system at the country’s key seaport. Business circles have also expressed alarm over how an entire container could disappear from the port yard.
