The Daily Corporate Desk
Dhaka, 3 September 2026:
Customs officials have recovered 80 gold bars weighing 9.331 kilograms, with an estimated market value of around Tk20 crore, from beneath a passenger seat of a Flydubai aircraft at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The gold was recovered late Wednesday night following a tip-off received by Dhaka Customs House.
The Flydubai flight landed at the airport at around 9:20pm. Five minutes later, customs officials arrived to conduct a special inspection of the aircraft. At the time of the search, the aircraft was reportedly empty of passengers.
At around 9:40pm, customs officials, accompanied by representatives of various intelligence agencies, searched the aircraft and discovered several objects wrapped in black Scotch tape beneath one of its seats.
The packages were subsequently taken to the customs hall and opened in the presence of officials from the relevant agencies. Authorities found 80 gold bars inside.
According to the customs authorities, each bar weighed approximately 116.64 grams, bringing the total weight to 9,331 grams.
Gold allegedly concealed for smuggling
The recovered gold bars were found unclaimed, according to a press release issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Customs officials believe the bars had been deliberately concealed beneath the aircraft seat to evade applicable duties and taxes and facilitate their illegal entry into Bangladesh. Authorities also suspect that the gold could subsequently have been removed from the airport premises through other channels.
The joint operation by Dhaka Customs House and multiple intelligence agencies prevented the suspected smuggling attempt, the NBR said.
Given the high value of the seized gold, the bars were immediately deposited in the airport customs’ valuables warehouse. Authorities are now processing their transfer to Bangladesh Bank in accordance with the applicable procedures governing the disposal of detained or confiscated goods, including precious metals.
Criminal case filed
A criminal case was filed at the Airport Police Station on Thursday (3 September) in connection with the incident.
Dhaka Customs House said it would continue intelligence-led surveillance and regular enforcement operations to prevent gold smuggling and protect the country’s economy.
The latest seizure highlights the continued use of airports and international passenger routes as channels for attempting to bring undeclared precious metals into Bangladesh, while also underscoring the role of intelligence-based customs enforcement in intercepting such consignments before they leave airport premises.
Source: UNB / National Board of Revenue (NBR)
