RAB nabs gold smuggler ‘Golden Monir’

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested alleged gold smuggler Monir Hossain alias Golden Monir in a raid from the Merul Badda area of the capital Dhaka.

RAB director (media wing) Lieutenant Colonel Ashik Billah in a briefing after the end of a raid at Monir's residence confirmed it.

According to the crime-buster, Monir first worked as a salesman at a cloth store in city’s Gausia Market in the 1990s. But through gold smuggling, he amassed wealth of Tk 1,050 crore within 30 years.

He has a car showroom and more than 200 plots and holds shares of a renowned jewelry shop.

RAB came to know after conducting a raid getting secret information.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB-3 took position in front of the house of Monir around 11pm on Friday.  Later the elite force started raiding his house. The drive ended at around 11am Saturday.

Later, the RAB held the press briefing in front of his house.

The RAB team seized a foreign pistol, several rounds of bullets, foreign currencies of 10 countries worth Tk nine lakh, gold ornaments weighing 8 kgs and cash Tk 1 crore from his possession.

The RAB personnel also recovered five cars from his possession. Two of these luxurious cars’ worth is Tk 6 crore.

The elite force is going to lodge three separate cases under arms act, narcotic control act and special power act against the gold smuggler.

We shall request the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for carrying out further investigation against Golden Monir, the RAB director said.

In the early 1990s, Monir was only a salesman at a cloth store at Gausia Market in the capital. Later, he started a crockery business and also used to smuggle many products through luggage party. Eventually he got involved with gold smuggling. He smuggled a huge amount of gold into the country that he was named as golden Monir afterwards.

A case was filed against him in 2007.

Monir is also involved in land grabbing. He became the owner of huge illegal wealth through dealings with corrupt officials of RAJUK. In association with some corrupt officials of RAJUK, he became owner of around 200 plots in DIT project, Badda, Nikunju and Keraniganj, RAB sources said.

Besides, he is owner of a vehicle showroom named Auto Car Selection. He has a share in a gold shop of Gausia Market in the city.

 Monir has now wealth of more than Tk 1,050 crore, RAB said.