Traders demand legal action against gold smuggler Dolan

Small businesses of Baitul Mukkarram Market have demanded exemplary punishment for Enamul Haque Khan alias Chora Dolan, an accused of a gold smuggling case.

Dolan has abused his power and harassed small businesses in many ways as chairman of the security committee of the Baitul Mukarram market, Alamgir Hossain, a representative of a small merchant at Baitul Mukarram, brought the allegation at a press conference on Wednesday.

On behalf of the traders, Hossain claimed that Dolan used to forcibly seize products from the roadside shops in and around the Baitul Mukarram market.

If anyone tried to protest against his misdeeds, he used to harass the businessmen and torture them sometimes, he said.

Expatriate businessman Tofazzel Hossain and a number of businessmen of the market were present at the programme, said a news release.

Dolan fled Thailand on Monday evading the surveillance by law enforcement agencies in Dhaka.

Dolan reached Bangkok by a flight on Monday morning and he is now allegedly staying in Thailand under the shelter of another leader of the same group.

Dolan fled the country after news of his gold smuggling racket was published in various news media last Monday.

The spat of gold smuggling from Bangladesh cannot be prevented unless the mastermind of the gang is arrested, said another source in the intelligence department.

Despite the strict surveillance of customs detectives, gold is being brought to the country evading duties and later being smuggled out to neighboring countries using Bangladesh as a transit, the source said.

People involved in the business said gold smuggling is continuing in absence of legal action against Dolan, said a jewellery shop owner at Baitul Mukarram. He is leading a gold smuggling syndicate in the name of his Diamond & Divers and Sharmin Jewellers business, the jeweller said.

Earlier, a case was lodged against Dolan in this connection but he remained out of reach.

Sources said Dolan sent gold and ornaments to the country through passengers arriving in Bangladesh from Dubai and Singapore with the help of another member of the gang and in this way, he laundered money.

The detectives said that there are at least fifty godfathers at home and abroad and they are involved in gold smuggling offenses.