RAJSHAHI, Feb 11: Nearly 2.0 million (20 lakh) cattleheads have been smuggled into the country through various borders of Rajshahi region during last four and a half year. In paying the price of those smuggled cattleheads to the Indian parties, at least Tk 100 billion has been funnelled out from the country.
According to local intelligence sources, so far there is no bilateral treaty between Bangladsh and India regarding import of cattleheads. As a result, the contract is being performed between smugglers to smugglers. The mode of exchange of price is also being done in gold bar or in hundi. For the same reason, a massive amount of smuggled gold bar is being seized by the members of law enforcement agency members from the bordering areas frequently.
Sources said cattleheads are smuggled inside the country from India through various bordering routes of Rajshahi region. On duty BGB members seized those cattleheads showing those 'without owner'. Later on, each of those seized cattle is handed over to a claimant here terming him as 'owner' of the cattle after realising Tk 500 revenue against each cattlehead and the cattle is then regarded as a legal imported one.
Cattle traders at the bordering haat of Birdipur under Godagari upazila said a middle sized cattle (cow or bull) costs between 20,000 to 25,000 Indian rupees while a small one costs between 15,000 to 20,000 rupees. A large sized buffalo costs around 30,000 to 40,000 rupees. The trading of cattleheads is being controlled by the syndicate of BSF, Indian Police and political leaders. Bangladeshi smugglers need to pay each syndicate agents to pay Tk 20,000 for each cattlehead. When the cattlehead entered into the country, cattle traders here have to pay Tk 5,000 more to various syndicates here. As a result, a cattle costs at least Tk 50,000 inclusive of all costs.
According to a report of Custom's Commissioner Office in Rashahi, from 2013-2014 to 2017-2018 fiscal year (up to November 2017) a total of 1.8854 million cattlehead entered into the country through nine bordering corridors of Rajshahi. At the same time more than 0.3 million cattlehead also entered into the country by bypassing the corridors so nearly 2.2 million cattlehead entered in the country during that period resulting a smuggling of some Tk 100 billion in India.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh earned more than Tk 1.0 billion revenue realised from 18,85,389 cattleheads at the rate of Tk 500 per cattle. It is alleged, the government is being deprived of earning a significant amount of revenue due to absence of any bilateral deal with India regarding import of cattleheads through proper channel.
Cattle traders further said there having no transaction of Bangladeshi currency across the border. The price of the smuggled cattlehead is being paid in gold or in hundi. At least 150 hundi traders at various bordering corridors of the region were engaged almost openly in transaction of money for a long time and through various channels including some commercial banks of the bordering areas, the hundi money were allegedly being handed over to Indian smugglers.
Moazzem Hossain, commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate of Rajshahi division, said the Indian cattlehead are being imported through a policy of the government. There was no recognised media of transaction of money from importing cattlehead from India. It was known to everyone that Bangladeshi money is being smuggled out to India and the Customs Department is not involved in such transaction and has nothing to take measure in this connection.
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