Customs has detected a tactic used by a section of people involved in the gold business to smuggle in the precious metal by flying frequently abroad and returning.
The Dhaka Customs House (DCH) has identified a recent surge in the number of frequent flyers, especially ordinary people, who are travelling to other countries at least five times a month.
On Wednesday, the DCH sent copies of the passports of 21 frequent flyers to the immigration police to monitor them.
In a letter to the special superintendent of police (Immigration) of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka Customs Joint Commissioner Md Minhaz Uddin sought information on the number of visits made by the passengers and the countries they visited in the past year.
"There is a risk of those passengers carrying illegal foreign currencies, money laundering and smuggling," he wrote in the letter.
Mr Minhaz said that at least 500 passengers are coming in with gold in their accompanied baggage every day recently.
He said the DCH would send copies of the passports of some 100 such frequent flyers every day on the basis of its suspicions.
"We suspect that a group of people have started new businesses taking advantage of the fiscal measure. We suspect their ill-motive to purchase gold by spending foreign currencies while the country is facing a dollar shortage," he said.
He added that customs has taken the initiative in a bid to check money laundering, safeguard revenue and prevent smuggling.
The DCH has also formed a body by assigning 12 dedicated officers to monitor the frequent flyers and take action on the basis of intelligence information.
The officials would work in four shifts and be involved in patrolling and checking in boarding bridge areas.
Under the fiscal measure, there is no restriction on importing gold under baggage rules. A passenger can bring gold several times as per their wish.
In India, a woman passenger can import only 50 grams of gold, while the import of gold bars is restricted.
Despite stricter baggage rules and higher taxes, customs has detected an increase in the trend of gold smuggling in recent times. Under the Baggage Rules 2016, passengers can now bring in 11 grams of gold ornaments without duty taxes and one gold bar by paying Tk 40,000.
Mr Minhaz said that a passenger has to spend Tk 2 million to purchase the maximum amount of gold allowed under the baggage rules.
Some frequent flyers, speaking informally, acknowledged that they could earn Tk 100,000 or more if they could travel four to five times a month carrying gold.
Earlier, passengers were allowed to bring in gold bars or gold pieces weighing up to 234 grams on arrival from abroad, subject to payment of all duties and taxes.
The duty for gold imports is Tk 4,000 for every 11.664 grams.
Any gold bars, gold pieces, silver bars or silver pieces in excess of the stipulated amount are liable to confiscation under the Customs Act, 1969.
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