Showrooms of Apan Jewellers across Dhaka are carrying on with the business as usual, despite being sealed off for by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate in May, 2017.
On May 13 and 14, customs intelligence officials raided five showrooms owned by Apan Jewellers, and seized 13 maunds of gold and 427 grams of diamonds on charges of selling gold without legal documents.
Customs directorate allowed Apan Jewellers to reopen its showrooms on June 5 last year, but did not return the confiscated gold.
The jewellers’ authorities kept their showrooms closed for some time, demanding that the confiscated gold be returned, but the jewellers eventually decided to resume their business activities.
Apan Jewellers is currently embroiled in a legal battle for getting back the gold seized from them by the customs intelligence. The seized gold is currently being kept at the Bangladesh Bank vault.
The correspondent visited several showrooms of Apan Jewellers in Dhaka, and found that the business is being carried out normally.
When asked for comments, employees working in those showrooms declined to comment over the matter.
The jewellers have showrooms in Gulshan, Uttara, Mouchak, Dhanmondi’s Simanto Square and Baitul Mukarram Market.
Last year, Apan Jewellers filed a writ in the High Court challenging the legality of seizing the gold.
Lawyer Farhad Zaman, who is representing the jewellers in court, told the correspondent: “We are currently involved in a legal battle for getting back the confiscated gold. Hearing on the writ petitions is ongoing.”
President of Bangladesh Jewellers' Samity, the association of jewellers in the country, Ganga Charan Malakar said:
“Apan Jewellers is carrying out their businesses as per regulations. We do not want anyone’s gold to be seized indefinitely.
“The matter is now under the jurisdiction of the court, and the court’s decision will be considered final.”
Responding to a query, Commissioner of Customs Valuation and Internal Audit Commissionerate, and former director general of Customs Directorate Mainul Khan said: “Showrooms of Apan Jewellers were raided based on concrete information and evidence.
“The jewellers ’ authorities are facing charges of gold smuggling, money laundering and tax and VAT evasion.”
He added: “They [Apan Jewellers] are also being investigated by the Anti Corruption Commission.
“The Customs Directorate has submitted evidence and necessary documents to the court against Apan Jewellers. I firmly believe that the directorate will win this legal battle.”
General Manager of Bangladesh Bank Motijheel Branch, Masum Patwari said: “The order to keep the seized gold of Apan Jewellers in the Bangladesh Bank vault still stands. We will hold onto the gold until the court delivers a verdict.”This article was first published on banglatribune.com
Thursday, June 04, 2026
