Customs officials hauled some 57 kilograms of gold at the Zia International Airport (ZIA) yesterday. A driver of Biman Bangladesh Airlines was arrested for his alleged Involvement in the attempt to smuggle the gold in.

A Blman security guard. Moslem All, in a daring chase, spoiled the smugglers' broth and nabbed the accused driver Abdul Majid Hawlader. 35. in the apron area of the airport runway.

The gold, worth about Tk 3.13 crore, was brought on a Gulf Air flight (GF-158) coming from Muscat. It landed at ZIA at 7 am. officials said.

According to guard Moslem, just when the bus carrying the disembarked passengers reached the arrival lounge gate he saw one passenger— as yet unidentified—throw two hand-bags out of the bus window In the direction of a microbus parked nearby

Sensing mischief. Moslem rushed towards the microbus— driven by Majid—which by now was ready to head out of the area. Moslem flung hijnself at the fleeing vehicle and managed to hang on to it from one of the rear windows. After driving for nearly 200 yards Majid stopped and Moslem Immediately sought help over his walkie-talkie. Soon airport security personnel rushed to his aid and cordoned off the area and Majid was trapped. They recovered 497 gold bars from the two bags.

One security official told this correspondent that Majid was not on duty yesterday. He had taken the vehicle, allotted to’ one Adbur Rashid, without authorisation and went to the arrival area on the tarmac

Majid admitted that he had taken the vehicle without any permission and started the microbus with a coin since he did not have the key. But he denied his Involvement in the smuggling attempt.

Majid, who joined Biman Bangladesh Airlines as a driver in 1982. was sent to the Cantonment police station last night.

Cantonment police said a

case was registered but the in vestlgations would be assigned to the Detective Branch (DB) today.

Meanwhile, the Blman management has decided to award Tk 5.000 to Moslem All for his courage and sense of responsibility. according to a Biman press release.

This was the third largest gold haul at the Zia International Airport

The seizure of nearly two mounds (80 kgs) from a diplomatic consignment at the air freight godown on January 25 this year was the biggest haul. A former Russian diplomat Vladimir I Lankin was ar rested for involvement in that incident.

Slxty-flve kilos of the precious metal were recovered from a personal consignment at the air-freight godown on October 17 last year.

An Assistant Commissioner of DB police was put in charge • of the Investigations but he is yet to make any headway.