Laptop stolen from expatriates' ministry after telephone wire theft at Secretariat

After the theft of telephone wires at the Secretariat, a laptop used by the personal secretary of a prime minister's special assistant has been stolen from the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry in Eskaton.

The HP laptop belonging to Md Imamul Hafiz Nadim, personal secretary to Prime Minister's Special Assistant (Asia Pacific region overseas employment) Dr Md Shakirul Islam Khan Shakil, was stolen from the 16th floor of the ministry on Tuesday afternoon, June 9. The same floor also houses the offices of Prime Minister's Special Assistant (State Minister rank) Mahadi Amin and State Minister Nurul Haque Noor.

According to multiple ministry sources, Nadim left his room for only five minutes around midday. When he returned, the laptop on his desk was gone. There was a power outage at the time, and people were moving in the corridor. Despite a search, the laptop could not be recovered.

Security personnel reviewing CCTV footage saw a man aged around 45-50 wearing a brown shirt and grey trousers leaving the office with a black bag. It is believed the stolen laptop was in that bag. Multiple sources said the laptop may have contained important ministry documents.

Several officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the media that security on the 16th floor is weak. Important office areas are easily accessible, and the presence of a large number of visitors daily creates security risks. One can step out of the lift and enter the corridor without passing through any security checkpoint.

PC Ashraful Alam, security in-charge of the Expatriates' Welfare Building, told the media that bags of everyone present were searched immediately after the incident. "Our manpower is very limited — a total of 22 Ansar members guard the entire building. Still, we are trying our best," he said.

Imamul Hafiz Nadim did not answer his phone when contacted.