Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have arrested 67 smugglers in the last five months, raiding several borders including Benapole under the 49th Battalion in Jashore.
The consignment and traffickers of the drug were arrested in five months from January 1 to May 21, 2021.
Jashore 49 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Selim Reza said at 9pm on May 21 that the seized drugs included 10,946 bottles of Phensidyl, 197 bottles of liquor, 204 pieces of yaba and 348 kg of cannabis. At that time 67 accused involved in trafficking were arrested. He also said that the total value of the seized drugs was Tk.59 lakh 14 thousand 100.
At the time, CO Selim Reza further said that the operation has been intensified with the intelligence activities as per the special plan of the BGB to seize drugs, hundi, smuggling and gold in a fancy way for a long time. In addition, special intelligence activities and operational activities are being conducted to curb any activities of smugglers during the corona period. Smugglers smuggle drugs in motorcycle oil tanks, inside seats, and in tool boxes. More anti-drug campaigns have been intensified in the border areas to take effective measures to curb the smuggling of such drugs.
Meanwhile, locals said that drug trafficking is increasing day by day at different borders of Sharsha and Benapole. Traffickers come out with loopholes in the law as godfathers are out of reach. Then he got involved in smuggling again. Kayba, Rudrapur, Goga, Agrabhulat, Panchbhulat, Shalkona, Pakshia, Dihi, Shikarpur, Ramchandrapur on the Sharsha-Benapole border and Putkhali, Daulatpur, Daitpur, Gatipara, Sadipur, Raghunathpur, Ghiba and many Dhanyakho of Benapole are more active.
Conscious quarters living on the border claim that it is difficult to stop drug trafficking only with the efforts of BGB, police and other forces. Since drugs are coming from India, the country's border guards need the sincere cooperation of the BSF.
Mahabub Islam Litu, secretary of the Sharsha Upazila Anti-Corruption Committee in Jashore, said, "Large consignments of drugs are entering the country from India through the border." I am worried about the future of our children. If the border guards and the state of the neighboring country are not sincere, it will be difficult for only BGB, police and RAB to stop drug trafficking.
Benapole Municipal Councilor Kamrunnahar Anna said, "Since most of the drugs in the country enter through the Benapole border, the security of the BGB and police needs to be strengthened with modern technology at the border."
Benapole Union Parishad Chairman Bazlur Rahman said, "If the bail of the arrested drug peddlers is delayed, it will play a role in preventing drug trafficking."
Jashore Navaran Circle Assistant Superintendent of Police Jewel Imran said the BGB as well as the police have continued anti-drug operations and drug recovery operations. The quantity of drug seizures is higher now than before. There is no compromise with the godfathers who are involved in the drug business.
It is to be noted that the Jashore area has a 60 km border with India. There are more than five hundred BGB members working to protect the border and prevent smuggling. The BGB has attached several modern technologies at the border, including night vision cameras, floating BOPs and speedboats on the navigable route.