The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in separate drives arrested 11 members of a trading syndicate and recovered ‘uranium’, reports UNB.
The estimated market value of the recovered 'uranium' is around Tk 500 million (Tk 50 crore), claimed the police official.
DMP deputy commissioner (media and public relations) Masudur Rahman said on a tip off, the DB police had conducted simultaneous drives in different parts of the city, including Dhanmondi, Uttara and Banani, from Friday night to Sunday morning and arrested 11 members of the uranium trading syndicate along with a large quantity of uranium.
Another report by bdnews24.com adds, detective police say they have seized 'uranium' from Dhaka's Banani area.
Information provided by them led the detectives to raid a house in Banani, from where the uranium was seized, he told a media briefing on Sunday.
"Those detained claim it is uranium. They have been looking for a buyer for the last six months for it. We will send it to the Atomic Energy Commission to find out whether it is uranium," said the DMP official.
He said it might take two weeks to know the results.
Uranium, a very heavy metal used for initiating a nuclear fission to create atomic energy, helps in generating power or for producing nuclear weapons.
Those who have been arrested are Moynal Hossain Sagar (45), Humayun Kabir (48), Kaiyum Chowdhury (54), Kayes Ahmed (54), Md Khaleque (44), Swapan Molla (45), 'Firoz' (45), Masudur Rahman Nasim (42), Aslam Miah (61), Moinuddin Razan (45) and Tofael Ahmed Patwary (48).
Of them, Aslam Miah is a garments trader. The leather box, containing 'uranium', was found at his Banani home, said DC Roy.
"This gang used to fool people by telling them to trade in prohibited imported products. Some of this gang got buyers, some managed the consignment, some concealed it until sale," said the police official.
The detained persons used to show a video footage of the product to prospective buyers, for which they collected a deposit of Tk 50,000, while for inspecting the goods, they would take 'security money' of Tk 5 million, said Roy quoting the detained smugglers.
Bangladesh has no known sources of uranium, but close to its borders in India's northeastern state of Meghalaya, exists a big deposit of high quality uranium.
It was discovered in the early 1990s at Domiosiat-Wakkhaji region, but fierce tribal resistance had thwarted Indian plans to mine it.
The tribals allege they will suffer radioactive fallout as has already taken place in Jharkhand, India's only other state with uranium deposits.
Earlier in 2001, two Bangladesh nationals were arrested along with some locals in Meghalaya and charged with theft of raw uranium ore.
