Scanning machine inoperative, free smuggling of gold at Benapole Customs



Senior Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com,Benapole(Jashore)
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As 3 out of 4 scanning machines used for goods inspection and baggage search of passport holders at Benapole port have been inoperable for 5 long months, safe trade and passport holder passengers are at risk.

Criminals cross the Bangladesh side freely but are detained in India with gold bars. Border guard BSF has arrested 36 people along with around 20 kg gold bars at Petrapole port in India in the last 5 months.

Among them are 20 passengers with passports, 10 truck drivers transporting goods and 6 drivers and helpers of Shyamoli NR Paribahan. It has been alleged that an active syndicate of Customs and external NGO workers has been aiding and abetting smuggling in various ways. RA used to search passengers' baggage at customs for about 5 months to keep the syndicate active

The scanning machine has been destroyed. The customs authorities have no intention of repairing the machine. And on this opportunity, smugglers are running their activities every day.

Meanwhile, Fiber Associates, the contractor engaged in monitoring the scanning machine, said that the customs authorities have been informed to take necessary measures. However, Customs says they are trying to repair the malfunctioning scanning machine.

It is known that the Chinese government gave 4 scanner machines as a gift to Bangladesh 6 years ago to strengthen commercial relations. A scanner has been installed at the cargo entry gate on the port's bypass road, increasing the risk to safe trade at the Benapole port.

The state-of-the-art machine is capable of detecting falsely declared goods such as chemicals, drugs, weapons in cargo trucks. Besides, 3 more scanning machines were installed at Benapole Checkpost Customs funded by NBR to prevent smuggling on immigration customs route. The scanning machine is operated by Fiber Associates, a contractor on behalf of Customs. A mobile scanner of customs and two scanners of customs immigration have been completely shut down due to mechanical failure for the last 6 months due to occasional damage. They require huge sums of money to repair them.

But as per the agreement, the customs expenses are supposed to be borne, so the activities of Scanning 3 are currently completely stopped due to not taking the necessary measures so far. Due to the inability to redeem essential products including garments, trade is disrupted and opportunities for smuggling are increasing day by day.

According to sources, BSF arrested Indian truck driver Suraj Mog with 7 kg gold bars from Petrapole port on November 1 and Abdul Jahab Mallik with 17 gold bars on November 27.

On September 26, BSF arrested an Indian truck driver named Sanjeev with 6 gold bars.

Apart from this, BSF arrested Shyamoli NR Paribahan driver Mohammad Delwar and supervisor Samim Mahmud along with 11 gold bars.

Benapole Customs arrested a passport holder named Mehdi Hasan with 2 gold bars on January 29 and Nasreen Akhtar Same with 76 thousand 500 USD on January 30.

Apart from this, falsely declared products and Viagra, Phensedyl, large shipments of hemp have also been seized at Benapole port.

Some passport holders going to India said that the harassment has increased as the scanning machine at the customs immigration is closed. He opened the bag and scattered the things. But the smugglers continue their work by managing the customs. Their bags are not opened on the other side, which will be evidenced by the CCTV cameras of customs and ports.

International Affairs Secretary of Benapole C&F Agent Association, Sultan Mahmud Bipul said, "It is important to start scanning activities to keep trade safe. The opportunities for irregularity and smuggling are increasing due to long days of closure.

Boni Amin, in-charge of Benapole office of Fiber Associates, a contractor engaged in monitoring the scanning machine, said, 'Customs has been requested to fix the damaged scanning. But till now, 3 scanning machines have been stopped as it is not fixed.

Rezaul Karim, director of Benapole land port, said, 'It is important to keep the scanning machines operational to ensure the safety of trade and passenger traffic. A letter has been sent to customs to resolve it quickly.

Mohammad Hafizul Islam, Joint Commissioner of Benapole Customs House said, "Necessary steps have been taken to start the scanning machines quickly. For now, the suspected cargo truck and the passenger's bag are being opened.

   

Sons, daughters and wives are 'relatives' in upazila elections: Prime Minister



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in the definition of 'relative' in the upazila elections, 'What is the family formula - one's son, daughter and wife! There is no family outside of this! We want the election to be free of influence! People can vote freely!

The Prime Minister said all this in response to a question at a press conference after her visit to Thailand at the Prime Minister's official residence, Ganabhaban, on Thursday (May 2) at 11:30 am.

The Prime Minister said that many of the families of Awami League had already been elected in one place for a long time. The one who became an MP, may have been the union or upazila chairman's wife long before him. But it's right, in one place he gave his wife, in another place he gave his son, that's not right! Activists should also be evaluated. I will take everything myself, I will not keep anything for my leaders and workers, that is not possible!

She said, everyone is contesting in the election, it means making the election meaningful.

Referring to the boycott of some parties, Sheikh Hasina said that many political parties are boycotting the elections. Why reject! Because they are not able to choose. If you want to do 'Parliament Election', you have to show the people who will be the next leader or Prime Minister! If you don't have a suitable leader, then you have to find someone. I did not make an election, that's the reality! That is what is happening in our country! If the accused is shown to the people, the people will not accept it. If you want to do politics, you have to take risks!

The Awami League president said, "After '75, I was not allowed to come to the country. Rehana did not even get a passport! The war criminals who were tried by the Father of the Nation, the convicted convicts who were released and allowed to do politics, are the ministers, advisors, in power. Murderers in power! I returned to the country in that state. My life was in danger. I got hit again and again but I survived. This is the problem of many. Why did I survive after trying to kill so many times!

Commenting that there has been 'development' because Awami League has come to power, she added that Bengalis have been given the opportunity to stand tall or speak in the world. Earlier, when I heard the name, I used to say 'poor', 'beggar caste', whether I was able to get rid of that bad name or not, that is the big thing!

The Prime Minister said that elections are being held in many other countries. We will see how the people there vote. We will see that too. Our effort is to make the process more public and transparent!

We have constituted the Election Commission by making law for the first time. Financially it was dependent on the Prime Minister's Office. I made it autonomous from there. I have made a separate budget.

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Milton Samadder granted remand for 3 days



Special Correspondent, Barta24.com
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The court granted 3-day remand to the chairman of Child and Old Age Care Ashram Milton Samaddar in the case of making a fake death certificate by fraud.

On Thursday (May 2), Milton was brought before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court by the police. After that, DB Police SI Kamal Hossain applied to take him on seven-day remand for proper investigation of the case.

After the hearing, Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain granted his three-day remand.

In the remand application of the police, it is said that the arrested accused has given 50 death certificates through fake fraud for a long time. He opened a medical service institution called Child and Old Age Care Center and pretended to be a peddler of humanity and pushed them to death without providing treatment and services to anonymous, heirless persons, children and disabled people. The police applied for remand to find out the correct information regarding the dead and to investigate whether the accused has any other motive.

The first case was filed against him for forging death certificates. Then another case was filed against him for beating people in the torture cell of his ashram. Recently, another case has been registered against him under the Human Trafficking Act.

Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Detective (DB) police arrested Milton Samaddar in a raid in Mirpur area of the capital on Wednesday (May 1) night.

Recently, various misdeeds of Milton Samddar were published in the media. Since then, a storm of criticism started with him on social media. The victims also opened their mouths. However, Milton Samadder denied all the allegations made against him by interviewing some media.

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Case filed for trafficking Chakma girl to China



District Correspondent, Barta24.com, Rangamati
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The victim's sister approached the police stating that Pahari Chakma picked up the girl and detained her in the capital and tried to smuggle her to China. On Wednesday (May 1) afternoon, a case was filed under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act at Naniarchar police station in Rangamati with a request to rescue the girl.

In this case, four women traffickers and four male traffickers have been named as a total of eight people and 4/5 others have been named as accused. Nanyarchar police confirmed the case to the reporter. The police said that they are unable to give the details of the accused for the sake of investigation.

In the statement of the case, the victim's sister mentioned that her younger sister, 21-year-old Beauty Chakma (pseudonym), was taken to Dhaka on April 1 in the name of admitting her to nursing. First, she was taken out of her home in Garjantali village of Burighat union under Naniarchar police station of Rangamati and taken to Jurachari Benuban area of Ghilachari union of Naniarchar. Later, she was taken from there to Dhaka in a microbus.

In the statement of the case, the plaintiff mentioned that beauty Chakma, who is studying nursing, realized that she was in the clutches of women traffickers from the conversation of the accused while going to the microbus.

Proposing the case, the girl's elder sister said that a group of women traffickers led by one Rika Chakma forced Beauty into marriage with a Chinese national and also took offensive pictures with her. She can be smuggled to China at any time from her detention in an undisclosed location in the capital.

On April 7, Beauty told her elder sister this information on the phone and told her to rescue her. The elder sister of the victim filed a case of human trafficking after informing the Naniarchar Police Station in written form.

Azamuddin Mahmud, officer-in-charge of Naniarchar police station confirmed the fact of filing the case and told the reporter that based on the written complaint of the victim's sister, a case has been registered under section 6/7/8 of Human Trafficking and Prevention Act 2018. Case No-1 Date: 01/05/2024 Eng. Necessary action will be taken after investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, Rangamati Additional Superintendent of Police Maruf Ahmed said that the local administration was shaken by the news of the trafficking of mountain women from Chattogram Hill Tracts to China. Rangamati police have already started to catch the members of the trafficking ring.

In response to the reporter's question, he said that the matter of trafficking of women from the mountains to China has come to the attention of Rangamati police in the media recently. The Additional Superintendent of Police also said that the matter is very sensitive and the police is diligently investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, according to the source of the case, it is known that the mastermind behind the trafficking of the mountain Chakma girl to China is a Chakma woman named Rika Chakma living in sector 14 of Dhaka Uttara. Her house is in Rangapani Harma village under Dighinala upazila of Khagrachari district. In this case, one man and one woman from Kamarpara of Sapchari Union under Rangamati Sadar Upazila, two women from Udal Bagan area of Khagrachari, and two men of unknown address have been mentioned in the case statement.

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Woman worker killed by her husband on Labor Day



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Savar(Dhaka)
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The police have arrested the husband of a garment worker in connection with the death of his wife due to a family dispute in Savar's Ashulia on May Day. The police recovered the body of the deceased and sent it for post-mortem.

On Wednesday (May 1) evening, the police recovered the body of the victim from Ashulia Women and Children's Hospital.

Deceased Maina Begum (60) lived in a rented house with her family in North Ghazirachat area of Ashulia. She worked as a cleaner in a local Grameen knitwear garment factory.

Arrested husband Taimur Rahman (65) is a day laborer by profession. Their village home is in Nirapara village of Niamatpur police station in Naogoan district.

Citing the victim's family, the police said that in the afternoon, due to a family quarrel, Maina Begum was beaten up by her husband. Later, when she was taken to the hospital with injuries, the doctor on duty declared her dead. The police also said that the body of the deceased had the marks of punch injuries.

Sub- Inspector (SI) of Ashulia police station Badiuzzaman told Barta 24.com that the dead body has been recovered and sent for autopsy. There was a quarrel between them due to the financial crisis in the family. The process of filing a case is ongoing with the victim's family as the plaintiff.

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