Quadri considers resignation
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Cultural affairs adviser Ayub Quadri has said he is considering resignation after the loss of two rare artifacts.
In a press briefing Monday, Quadri said: "It's me who must take the responsibility as the head of the cultural affairs ministry for the lost artifacts."
Asked if he would resign by a bdnews24.com reporter, the adviser said: "What do you want?"
The reporter answered back with the same question: "What do you want?"
The adviser said: "I am thinking about the matter (resignation)."
Two rare statues have gone missing from Zia International Airport (ZIA), which were up for shipment to Paris for display at the Guimet Museum. One of the two terracotta images was a bust of Vishnu.
A five-member committee has opened a probe into the theft of the two artifacts.
The committee led by Fakhrul Islam, joint secretary of the civil aviation and tourism ministry, will submit its report in three working days.
Meanwhile, France Monday said the theft of two rare artifacts from ZIA was a conspiracy by a nexus of people or a petty crime.
France also said the motive of the theft was to "embarrass France and Bangladesh".
"France feels the disappearance of this crate is highly suspicious and could also be the result of a conspiracy by a very small nexus of persons to embarrass France and Bangladesh," the French embassy in Dhaka said in a statement.
The statement came as the police alleged that the artifacts went missing after they were handed over to Air France officials at ZIA.
"Although the inquiries are ongoing, the possibility of a mere theft by petty criminals cannot be discounted," the statement said.
"France condemns such acts in the strongest term," it said.
The statement said the crates were left unattended on ZIA's tarmac "where neither the lending nor the borrowing institutions have any control".
France also praised the government steps to recover the missing artifacts and hoped that the perpetrators would be found out and brought to book.
Deputy police commissioner for Uttara zone Khondakar Rafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com Monday that another suspect, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines employee, was arrested in Bhola Sunday night.
Among the 11 arrested Sunday, two Ansar members were released after interrogation and the number of arrestees stood at 10.
Rafiqul said Biman employee Shankar Dey was arrested in Bhola Sunday night and had been brought to Dhaka.
He also said an intensive search in the Cargo Village failed to find the carton.
On the status of the investigation, Rafiqul said, "There has been no success until now. The Police Headquarters have sent a message to the Interpol."
In the case filed with Airport Police Station by director general of Bangladesh National Museum Samar Chandra Paul, Shankar and nine others detained Sunday have been shown arrested.
The arrestees are members of Air France Cargo, Voyager Airlines and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
They are Jamiul Abedin (loader), Masud Rana Saiful (loading supervisor), Abu Bakar (assistant loader), Afsar (Biman security), Abul Hossain (ground support equipment officer), Md Al Momin (Voyager Airlines staff), Shahjahan Ali (loader, operation department), Shariful Islam Manik (Voyager Airlines staff) Billal Hossain (loader) and Shankar.
An on-duty Biman official said the Air France aircraft was still in the airport and the remaining 12 cartons had been kept at the Cargo Village area.
In a press briefing Monday, Quadri said: "It's me who must take the responsibility as the head of the cultural affairs ministry for the lost artifacts."
Asked if he would resign by a bdnews24.com reporter, the adviser said: "What do you want?"
The reporter answered back with the same question: "What do you want?"
The adviser said: "I am thinking about the matter (resignation)."
Two rare statues have gone missing from Zia International Airport (ZIA), which were up for shipment to Paris for display at the Guimet Museum. One of the two terracotta images was a bust of Vishnu.
A five-member committee has opened a probe into the theft of the two artifacts.
The committee led by Fakhrul Islam, joint secretary of the civil aviation and tourism ministry, will submit its report in three working days.
Meanwhile, France Monday said the theft of two rare artifacts from ZIA was a conspiracy by a nexus of people or a petty crime.
France also said the motive of the theft was to "embarrass France and Bangladesh".
"France feels the disappearance of this crate is highly suspicious and could also be the result of a conspiracy by a very small nexus of persons to embarrass France and Bangladesh," the French embassy in Dhaka said in a statement.
The statement came as the police alleged that the artifacts went missing after they were handed over to Air France officials at ZIA.
"Although the inquiries are ongoing, the possibility of a mere theft by petty criminals cannot be discounted," the statement said.
"France condemns such acts in the strongest term," it said.
The statement said the crates were left unattended on ZIA's tarmac "where neither the lending nor the borrowing institutions have any control".
France also praised the government steps to recover the missing artifacts and hoped that the perpetrators would be found out and brought to book.
Deputy police commissioner for Uttara zone Khondakar Rafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com Monday that another suspect, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines employee, was arrested in Bhola Sunday night.
Among the 11 arrested Sunday, two Ansar members were released after interrogation and the number of arrestees stood at 10.
Rafiqul said Biman employee Shankar Dey was arrested in Bhola Sunday night and had been brought to Dhaka.
He also said an intensive search in the Cargo Village failed to find the carton.
On the status of the investigation, Rafiqul said, "There has been no success until now. The Police Headquarters have sent a message to the Interpol."
In the case filed with Airport Police Station by director general of Bangladesh National Museum Samar Chandra Paul, Shankar and nine others detained Sunday have been shown arrested.
The arrestees are members of Air France Cargo, Voyager Airlines and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
They are Jamiul Abedin (loader), Masud Rana Saiful (loading supervisor), Abu Bakar (assistant loader), Afsar (Biman security), Abul Hossain (ground support equipment officer), Md Al Momin (Voyager Airlines staff), Shahjahan Ali (loader, operation department), Shariful Islam Manik (Voyager Airlines staff) Billal Hossain (loader) and Shankar.
An on-duty Biman official said the Air France aircraft was still in the airport and the remaining 12 cartons had been kept at the Cargo Village area.