The Indian border area of Jhenaidah, Jessore and Chuadanga in the southwestern part of the country has long been used as one of the gold smuggling routes. Large consignments of gold are often caught while being smuggled into India in the districts. However, only unemployed youth carrying gold, van-rickshaw drivers and village people were arrested. If the case is decided, only they are punished. But the police can’t find the masterminds of the smuggling.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in charge of the border of the three districts and related police stations have informed that at least 130 kg of gold, whose market value is around Tk 128 crore, has been seized at the border of the three districts in one year. 53 cases have been registered in these incidents. The people concerned say that the amount of gold being seized is much more than what is being smuggled.
The issue of cross-border gold smuggling has come to the fore in the murder of Jhenaidah-4 Constituency Member of Parliament Anwarul Azim in Calcutta, India. Several sources familiar with law enforcement and border operations say that behind Anwarul Azim’s murder, there is a dispute over gold smuggling. The mastermind of this murder is Anwarul’s friend Aktaruzzaman alias Shaheen, who is the head of a gold smuggling ring. But there is no case against him.
BGB filed a case in police station regarding seizure of gold and other goods. The police investigated. The captain of Khalishpur 58 battalion of BGB believes that it is the responsibility of the police to investigate the case of gold smuggling and find out the main owners. Colonel Azizus martyred.
However, Jessore Police Spokesperson and Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Belal Hossain told Prothom Alo that only those involved in the incident were charged. Regarding the non-appearance of the names of the main owners, he said, besides the carrier, others are also accused. No one can be accused without evidence.
Bangladesh Path: More than three districts
A lot of gold is smuggled into India every year. One way is Bangladesh. A special report in the Economic Times of India on April 23, 2023 said that the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) of India seized a total of 833 kg of gold during the fiscal year 2021-22. The report quoted the World Gold Council as saying that the country has an annual demand of 800,000 kg of gold. 80,000 to 90,000 kg of gold is smuggled in annually.
The report of Economic Times also says that the total duty-tax on gold in India is 18 and a half percent. This encourages smuggling. The price of smuggled gold has fallen by Rs 8-9 lakh (Tk 11-13 lakh) per kg. At that time, the price of gold in Mumbai, India was around 61 lakh rupees (86 lakh rupees) per kg.
Law enforcement officials believe that gold is smuggled through the Bangladesh airport from the Middle East, Singapore and Malaysia. It is then sent across the border to India. Gold is smuggled into India through Bangladesh and Myanmar. The reason for choosing the two countries is security weakness.
According to Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), they have seized around 261 kg of gold from border areas in 2023. Meanwhile, information collected from BGB and police on behalf of Prothom Alo shows that 130 kg of gold has been seized in Jhenaidah, Jessore and Chuadanga in 2023. Note that Chuadanga’s account is from January 16, 2023 to March 8 this year.
271 km border
India shares a 271 km border with Jhenaidah, Jessore and Chuadanga districts. Talking to the members of the law enforcement agencies, it is known that gold is smuggled in various ways by hiding inside the car, inside the stomach or anus, tied to the body, kept inside the soles of sandals or shoes, etc.
The Chuadanga Battalion (6 BGB) and the Maheshpur Battalion (58 BGB) of Jhenaidah perform duties on the 113 km border of Chuadanga with India. According to BGB and police sources, from January 16 last year to March 8 this year, BGB and DB police recovered 64 kg 848 grams of gold in at least 30 operations at Darshana, Jibannagar and Damurhuda borders.
In 2023, BGB seized 38 kg of gold from Maheshpur border area of Jhenaidah. India has about 57 km border with that upazila.
Jessore Battalion (49 BGB) and Khulna Battalion (21 BGB) are on duty in Sharsha, Benapole and Chougacha border areas of Jessore. According to Jessore Battalion sources, 27.5 kg gold was recovered in 2023 at this border. Jessore border area is 101 km.
Recently Lieutenant Colonel HM Salahuddin Chowdhury has been appointed as the captain of Maheshpur Battalion (58 BGB) of BGB. He told Prothom Alo , ‘I cannot say for sure that gold smuggling has stopped completely. But after my joining there is no incident of gold recovery. BGB is carrying out its duties with caution.’
Only the carriers were caught
Analyzing the various cases of interception of gold consignments on the border of three districts, it is seen that the BGB and the police have managed to catch the gold carrier. Later on further investigation led to the arrest of the main smugglers; But it was not possible.
For example, on November 16, 2022, 112 gold bars weighing 16 and a half kg were smuggled into India in a pickup through Benapole border in Jessore. Omar Farooq (27) and Md. BGB arrested two persons named Farhad Sarkar (32). In this incident, a case was filed against the three carriers under the Special Powers Act at the Benapole Port Police Station. After the investigation, the Benapole Port Police Station filed the charge sheet in the court. The carriers are accused in the case. The masterminds of the smuggling remain unaccounted for.
Benapole Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sumon Bhakta told Prothom Alo that usually gold smuggling is done very cleverly. Those who carry gold, do not know anyone above or below. Due to which evidence is not available from them. As a result, the main culprit cannot always be reached.
Only the carriers are punished
A review of 21 charge-sheets in cases involving gold smuggling at the Chuadanga border from 2017 to 2023 showed that charge-sheets were issued against accused accused in 19 raids. In two cases, the final report has been given to the court as the accused have not been identified. There is no record of the investigation of any case revealing who is behind the incident or any information about the source of the gold. However, the court sentenced the accused to a minimum of life imprisonment.
Reviewing the data of the six cases that have been decided, it can be seen that only the carriers have been punished. For example, on April 14, 2017, BGB arrested Shipon Rana of neighboring Jhanjhadanga village from Parakrishnapur in Damurhuda along with 3 kg 175 gram gold bars. Damurhuda Model Police Station Inspector (Investigation) GM Imdadul Haque filed a charge sheet against Shipon Rana on October 31 of the same year. Chuadanga Special Tribunal-1 Judge District and Sessions Judge Moha. Rabiul Islam sentenced Shipon to life imprisonment on February 26, 2020.
In this incident, the police could not find out who is the owner of the gold, who gave the gold to the bearer. Public Prosecutor (PP) of Chuadanga Court. Belal Hossain recently raised the issue of gold smuggling case in police-magistracy meeting. He said, the source of the gold and its moneylender remain unclear in the investigation. He urged everyone concerned to look into the matter with sincerity.
‘They stay hidden’
Smuggling has been going on across the border for ages. A former UP member from Maheshpur’s Baghadanga border told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that in the eighties, VCP-VCRs (electronic video viewing devices) were taken to India, and drugs and sarees were brought from there. Then gold smuggling started. Many of the border villages are becoming financial masters by playing the role of smugglers.
After the murder of Parliamentarian Anwarul, now the issue of wealth, luxury life and money laundering of gold smuggling gang leaders is coming to the fore. A local government representative of Maheshpur in Jhenaidah told Prothom Alo on the condition of anonymity that the smuggling is involved by influential people. Many representatives also made money through smuggling. They stay hidden, never get caught.