The goldsmith, who had tested the purity of gold kept by customs at the Bangladesh Bank’s vault, has denied of any mistakes on his part.
After a national daily reported on Tuesday that the yellow metal kept at the vault by customs detectives was adulterated, Bangladesh Bank brushed aside the claims describing the whole affair as a ‘clerical mistake.’
The media report cited an inspection by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate or CIID.
Central bank officials claimed the purity of the gold kept by the customs detectives was 40 percent, but it was recorded 80 percent due to the similarity between the number 4 in Bangla and 8 in English.
They blamed it on one of its registered goldsmith, Giasuddin, the owner of Shokh Jewellers.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune on Wednesday, Giasuddin denied of making any mistakes over testing the purity of the gold kept at the vault in 2015.
“I was called in by the Bangladesh Bank, when the customs detectives came to deposit gold in the vault. I was told to test the purity. I found it 40 percent pure and told the Bangladesh Bank accordingly. But the central bank officials recorded it as 80 percent by mistake,” he said.
On the central bank blaming him for the gaffe, Giasuddin made it clear that his job only involves testing the purity and not recording it in the document.
“Bangladesh Bank officials record it and customs intelligence officials were there as well that day.”
The goldsmith said customs officials had deposited two gold coins, which tested 40 percent pure.
On the customs intelligence’s claims of 22-carat gold turned out to be 18-carat, Giasuddin said that might stem from the difference of testing methods.
“I tested by the traditional method — using a touchstone. But the customs use digital machines, which may have caused different readings. The Bangladesh Bank also uses modern technologies to test gold’s purity; they have a Germany made machine.”
The traditional gold testing method involves a small tablet of dark stone, such as such as fieldstone, slate, or lydite, which is also referred to as a touchstone. 
The object to be tested is scratched on the surface of the stone and a test acid solution determines the carat of the scratch.

Giasuddin, however, maintains that it was impossible for 22-carat gold turning into 18-carat.
“The gold has not been switched or taken outside.22-carat gold may turn into 21 carats, but not 18 carats. It can’t vary that much,” he told Bangla Tribune.
Gold kept at the Bangladesh Bank’s vault by the customs are seized from smugglers, who bring in different grades of gold, Giasuddin said before adding: “I told them what I found after the touchstone test. But as far as I heard, they have recorded all the gold as 18-carat, don’t know whether it’s true or not.”
Bangla daily Prothom Alo reported on Tuesday that the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) found the anomalies while inspecting a random sample of gold from the 963kg kept at the central bank’s vault from January to April last year.
CIID kept gold coins and rings weighing 3.3kg in the vault on Aug 23, 2015, but during the inspection, it found adulteration in the gold, according to the report.
It said that 22-carat gold has been shown as 18 carats in records maintained by the Bangladesh Bank.
Later in the day, Bangladesh Bank, in a media conference, denied of keeping spurious gold in its vault, describing it as a ‘clerical mistake’ and blamed it on the goldsmith.