S A Shofiee, Sylhet:
The border area of Sylhet has emerged as a hotspot for smugglers, with illegal trade continuing despite strict operations by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police. As a result, Indian products have flooded the Sylhet Eid market, with smuggled goods regularly being seized during operations.
Several times more smuggled products end up in the hands of the common people. In this situation, real traders are worried ahead of Eid. Those who are caught in operations are only carriers. The promoters remain in hiding. This also raises questions about the BGB’s operations.
Investigations revealed that the border area becomes lively at night. Various goods including drugs, sugar, clothes, and cosmetics products start being brought and taken through every border of Sylhet division.
This smuggling takes place in four districts. There are powerful smuggling syndicates on both sides of the border. Basically, smuggling is carried out according to the information of the syndicate members. When and how the consignment will cross – everything is decided by the syndicate. Apart from this, smugglers use the mobile networks of both countries around the border.
It is known that smugglers are mainly active on the Gowainghat, Companiganj, Jaintapur and Kanaighat borders in Sylhet. On the other side is the Khasia syndicate of the Indian state of Meghalaya, and on the other side is the domestic syndicate.
Some of them are responsible for sending money to the other side, while some are responsible for managing the border guards of the two countries. Another party is responsible for managing the local administration including the police.
They bring various types of products from India including cows, buffaloes, sarees, Than cloth, cosmetics, hot spices, sugar, oranges, apples, betel nuts. Especially with Eid ahead, smuggling has increased several times.
According to statistics, in January and February of this year, more than Tk 60 crore worth of stolen goods was seized in Sylhet. And in March alone, the same amount of goods was seized. If this continues, the amount of seized goods this year will exceed last year.
In 2024, goods worth Tk 156 crore were seized. This is the highest record for a single year. Goods worth over Tk 163 crore were seized in the eight months of the interim government. In the last four months alone, Indian goods worth Tk 17 crore were recovered in Shahparan police station, said SI Sanaul Haque of Shahparan Mazar Police Investigation Center.
The investigation revealed that the demand for Indian goods is high in the Sylhet market during Eid. Due to this, smuggling increases at the border. Indian goods are now neatly arranged in showrooms of various markets in Sylhet. Transactions in the smuggling business are done through hundi.
Sources said in addition to the betel nut gardens of the Indian Khasias on the other side of the border, there are various fruit gardens. These gardens are used to evade the eyes of the BSF-BGB. Since these are located near the border, the border guards often have nothing to do. For bringing a sack of goods from India, the carrier gets Tk 500. Indian Khasia and Bangladeshi traders work together to bring and receive consignments.
Conscious citizens say that smugglers can sell goods brought from India in Bangladesh at double the profit by evading customs duties. In addition, the price of smuggled goods is going to Indian traders through hundi. As a result, the government is losing a large amount of revenue.
Sylhet District Sujan President and former administrator of Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry Faruk Mahmud Chowdhury believes that BGB patrols on the border need to be strengthened to prevent smuggling.
BGB Sylhet Sector Commander Colonel Saiful Islam Chowdhury said ahead of Eid, smugglers are bringing saris and three-piece suits instead of cows, buffaloes and other goods. Some people in the border area have chosen smuggling as a profession. The headquarters has issued instructions that Indian products should not be allowed to enter Bangladesh under any circumstances. For this reason, manpower has been increased in 55 VOPs in three sectors.
