He used every trick in the book
Even though officially a nobody in Biman or the airport, Mahmudul Haque Palash was the top dog of the gold smuggling ring and he used the names of Biman high-ups to get shipments through.
He even used the name of the Biman chairman to influence high officials who were reportedly blessed by the chairman. He picked up the officials and staff of Biman for his racket, winning them over with bribes, liquor and women, Biman insiders said.
Palash, arrested on Tuesday by detectives, also faked his identity to spread his influence. He had claimed to be a contractor, the godson of the Biman chairman and even a pilot.
The only relation, if it could be considered a relation, with Biman he had was that his wife is an airhostess of the airlines.
Such was his influence that he along with arrestee Capt Abu Mohammad Aslam Shaheed decided which crew member to be on which flight to bring in the shipment of gold. They had immense influence on the crew scheduling department.
There have also been allegations that Palash and Shaheed had the scheduling department of Biman separated from customer service so that they could have more influence.
“Apart from bribing a section of Biman officials and staff, he used to supply liquor and even women to the men he thought would be of use to him,” said a Biman pilot wishing anonymity.
Detectives and Biman insiders said Palash had been wandering around Biman offices for around 10 years but his influence rose quickly after he introduced himself to the Biman chairman a couple of years ago.
They claimed that Biman Chairman Air Marshal (retd) Jamal Uddin Ahmed is honest but cunning Palash, who studied up to HSC, cashed in on his acquaintance and told everyone he was his godson to get his job done.
Capt Shaheed had influence too.
He had boasted to his co-workers that he had gotten service tenure of pilots extended to 60 years from 57 using his good relations with Biman high-ups.
However, pilots and Biman management said the service age was extended because the government asked the authorities to extend it as demanded by the pilots' association.
Investigators are saying that between 15 and 20 other people in Dubai are involved in the gold smuggling syndicate and they used Palash and Shaheed to get the gold through.
Detectives arrested Palash and Shaheed with three others on Tuesday in connection with their link to gold smuggling after Biman crew member Mazharul Afsar Russell gave a magistrate the names of people allegedly involved in smuggling.
Russell was arrested on November 12 with five gold bars weighing 2.6 kilogrammes.
Police are now verifying the information Russell divulged in the confessional statement.
The Biman Chairman Jamal Uddin yesterday denied having any close relations with Palash.
He said he had met Palash as he hailed from Comilla, which is his home town too. He said Palash came to him several times for “help” regarding getting contracts and a job.
“I told him that he has to take and pass exams and face interviews for getting a job in Biman and for winning any contract, there are certain rules he must follow,” Jamal Uddin told The Daily Star over the phone.
Asked why he did not take any action against Palash for using his name, Jamal Uddin said he was not aware his name was being used and that he does not look after day-to-day functions of Biman. He said the management should have taken action against anyone for using his name for misdeeds.
On the scheduling department, he said former Biman managing director Kevin Steele had separated the section from customer service to facilitate automation of flight and crew planning.
Jamal Uddin claimed that he himself had asked Steele to keep some authority, like granting leaves, with customer service so that the department did not have absolute authority over cabin crew members.
He said he ordered the management to find out the culprits and take punitive measures against them.
The three Biman officials arrested have been suspended, a Biman insider said.
Asked about the allegation of patronising some officials close to him, the chairman said, “This is a lie. Those who do not work and spend their time doing politics spread such rumours.”
Meanwhile, Jatiya Party MP Kazi Feroz Rashid in the House last night demanded that the government arrest the Biman chairman and 42 other officials allegedly involved in gold smuggling.
Supporting Rashid, independent lawmaker Hazi Selim asked that it be made sure that the arrested Biman officials do not escape through any loopholes.
Demanding exemplary punishment to those involved, Rashid said it was shameful that a section of Biman officials were involved in gold smuggling, using the national flag carrier and tarnishing the nation's image abroad.
He said Palash was the main culprit and he was the godson of Biman Chairman Jamal Uddin.
“This Palash is not a Biman official. His wife is an air hostess. But as the godson of Biman chairman, Palash plans time schedule of Biman airlines, he even selects the duty of cabin crew members.”
The JP MP demanded that Jamal Uddin be summoned before the parliamentary standing committee on civil aviation and quizzed.
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