[MSN] After five days of artefact theft from Zia International Airport (ZIA), investigators yesterday said a ring of smugglers based at the airport destroyed the precious archaeological masterpieces and dumped them in a dustbin in Uttara

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ZIA-based smuggling ring destroyed stolen artefacts
Claims Rab after arrest of 10 more but fails to recover remains in daylong
search; motive still unexplained
Julfikar Ali Manik and Pinaki Roy

Rapid Action Battalion personnel with the help of Dhaka City Corporation
workers search for the remains of the two stolen Vishnu statues at a
garbage-dumping site in Amin Bazar on the outskirts of the capital
yesterday. Photo: STAR:
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=16810

After five days of artefact theft from Zia International Airport (ZIA),
investigators yesterday said a ring of smugglers based at the airport
destroyed the precious archaeological masterpieces and dumped them in a
dustbin in Uttara.

The revelation was stunning although the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) could
not recover the broken pieces of the stolen statues even after conducting
massive raids in different areas following confessional statements of the
arrested suspects.

Rab officials raided dumping grounds, including those at Uttara, Jatrabari,
Aminbazar and Savar, and thought to have found some pieces from two dumping
grounds in Aminbazar and Savar. The National Museum authorities, however,
said those do not match the stolen artefacts--a statue and a bust of Vishnu.

The investigators could not also determine the motive behind the theft and
destruction of the artefacts. But the police said it was learnt from the
confessional statement that the leader of the smuggler group has links to an
Islamic organisation.

They are presently on a drive to capture the leader of the "Abbas-Nasir"
ring, which is involved with the whole incident.

Both Abbas and Nasir are still absconding. The Rab raided Abbas' residence
but failed to find him or learn his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, the president accepted the resignation letter of Ayub Quadri, who
stepped down as the cultural and education adviser on Wednesday amid uproar
over artefact theft.

Rab sources said the Abbas-Nasir group based at ZIA conducted the theft
through a few of its members with the help of some civil aviation staff and
drivers.

The two 1,500-year-old terracotta statues bound for an exhibition at the
Guimet Museum in Paris were stolen while in the custody of Air France at ZIA
on December 22.

The statues from the Gupta era had been displayed at the National Museum
since they were discovered at Mahasthangarh in Bogra.

Besides arresting 15 persons immediately after the incident, the Rab
arrested 10 more people, including a former MP and a former deputy
secretary, during the last 24 hours.

In primary interrogation, the arrested confessed to their involvement with
the theft and gave details of how they carried out the shameful act starting
from stealing the precious statues to dumping them after destroying, a Rab
official said.

Rab sources said five of the arrested were involved with stealing the
statues from the airport and they took the artefacts to Abbas' house at
51/E, Road-7B in sector-3 in Uttara on December 22 morning. The culprits
used a vehicle for carrying the stolen statues from the airport.

The five include smuggler ring members and some airport staff including a
driver of the Civil Aviation Authority. A Rab investigator said the
smugglers enjoy regular free access to the highly secured cargo terminal
area.

When the stolen artefacts were landed at the car park of Abbas' multi-storey
residence, Abbas and three to four more identified persons were present
there.

The priceless national properties were destroyed between 10:00am and 1:00pm
upon Abbas' orders, an interrogator quoted from the confessional statement
of Abbas' arrested house cleaner who was involved with the act.

Those who witnessed the heinous crime include arrested former MP Anwara
Begum Putul, who owns three flats in the same apartment house, Rab said.

Rab Additional Director General Colonel Gulzar Uddin Ahmed told The Daily
Star last evening, "The motive behind stealing and destroying the artefacts
will be revealed once Abbas is arrested."

The investigation officer of the case produced those who confessed to their
involvement with the heinous act before a Dhaka court last evening, he
added.

Uttara Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police Khandaker Rafiqul Islam told The
Daily Star, "A man named Abbas implemented the whole plan of stealing and
destroying the artefacts. Interrogation has revealed that Abbas is involved
with an Islamic organisation."


Andre Chenue, the consignee of the artefacts from Paris, nominated the Home
Bound Bangladesh to send the artefacts by Air France.

The name of Home Bound Bangladesh was found as the sender agent on the
receipt of Association of Cargo Agents of Bangladesh although its officials
repeatedly told The Daily Star that they did not book any cargo flight of
Air France.

The consignee had instructed Home Bound to send the artefacts as "general
cargo" instead of "valuable cargo", which is sheer negligence towards the
country's national properties.

According to the agreement signed between France and Bangladesh, "The
Borrower ensures the security of the artefacts in accordance with the
security standards applicable to French Museum. The Borrower guarantees to
the Lender that the loaned works are under continuous and vigilant
protection."

Our court correspondent reports: The 10 arrested persons were produced
before the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate's Court yesterday and seven of them
were taken for recording judicial statements.

They are Lutfor Rahman, Monir Hossain, Nurul Islam Nuru, Mohammad Uzzal
Hossain, Amir Hamza, Nikhil Chandra and Abdul Hamid.

The three others are Anwara Begum, former deputy secretary SM Mizanur Rahman
and Moksed Ali.

The police prayed for 10 days' remand for Anwara and Mizanur. The magistrate
fixed Sunday for hearing on the prayer and sent the two to jail.

The magistrate also ordered to send Moksed to jail as the police did not
pray for any remand for him.

http://www.thedailystar.net/