Different border points in the frontier district of Lalmonirhat are witnessing illegal entry of Indian cattle for the last several days. Indian cattle, mainly cows, in their thousands brought into the country daily with Eid-ul-Azha the 2nd biggest religious festival of the Muslims, approaching. Smugglers are buying these cattle in India and bringing the animal into Lalmonirhat illegally through 27 points of the frontier stretching up to 195 kilometres. Reliable sources at the district administration said the smugglers are doing the business in connivance with a section of local influential people and government officials. The smugglers then sell these cattle in different haats (village markets) from where the cattle are being sold to cattle traders who bring the sacrificial animals to Dhaka for sale in different makeshift cattle markets set up in the city for Eid. Sources concerned said about 700 people are engaged in taking the smuggled cattle from the border points to Lalmonirhat’s cattle haats. For doing the job, they get Tk 1,000-2,000 per cattle. Some local cattle traders, declining to be named, said political party leaders, local Upazila and union Parishad chairmen and corrupt officials of the local administration take illegal toll of Tk 200-300 from them against each of smuggled cattle. Besides, customs officials reportedly take bribe from cattle smugglers allowing them to evade land corridor fee of Tk 500 per cattle. When contacted, Superintendent of Police TM Mozahidul Islam of Lalmonirhat said they will take steps if anyone lodges written complaint in this regard, according to a news agency.
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