From January 1 to December 31, 2022, Border Guard Bangladesh seized a huge amount of gold while smuggling it into India through the affiliated borders of Jashore, Jhenaidah, Satkhira and Khulna. Some of these consignments have also been seized by the Jashore District Police. Over 185 kg (four and a half maunds) of gold was seized in the meantime. Its market value is 150 million Tk.
Sources from the headquarters of the South-West Region Commander of the BGB confirmed the matter. Jessore-49 Battalion of BGB is in the first list of success in arresting smugglers and recovering gold, Khulna-21 Battalion is in second position and Jashore District Police is in third position. Jashore-49 BGB Battalion tops the list of gold and gold bar seizures. The amount of gold seized through the borders belonging to this battalion is 79 kg 473 grams. Its market value is 66 crore 87 lakh 36 thousand 700 taka. 16 people have been arrested for their involvement in gold smuggling.
Khulna BGB Battalion is in the second position on recovering gold while being smuggled. 42 kg 407 grams of gold was seized during smuggling into India through the borders belonging to this battalion. The market value of these gold is 30 crore 29 lakh 82 thousand 178 taka. 18 people have been arrested.
At the same time, 4 kg 451 gm of gold was seized through the borders belonging to Satkhira-33 BGB battalion. Its market value is 3 crore 76 lakh 35 thousand 319 taka. Maheshpur-58 BGB battalion affiliated borders seized 38 kg 40 grams of gold. Its market value is 26 crores 29 lakhs 14 thousand 401 taka. Eight people have been arrested for smuggling these gold.
Khulna-21 BGB Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tanveer Rahman said that BGB is always working to prevent smuggling at the border. He said that the BGB raided and seized the gold and filed a case against the accused. After that, the investigation of these cases falls on the police. The investigative unit will bring out the behind-the-scenes smuggling. Still, BGB remains alert and vigilant.
Lieutenant Colonel Shahed Minhaj Siddiqui, the captain of Jashore-49 BGB, who has shown more success in recovering gold, said that since he joined the battalion, efforts have been increased to prevent smuggling across the border. Due to which it was possible to seize a large amount of gold in raids across the border in one year. Especially the incident of recovery of 16.5 kg gold shipment worth 1.5 million taka after searching in Amrakhali of Benapole on November 16 is enviable.
Former commander of 58 BGB Jhenaidah Maheshpur Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Shaheen Azad said, BGB members are trying hard to prevent smuggling through the border. This effort will continue.
Major Reza Ahmed, the captain of Satkhira-33 BGB, said that BGB is always on alert across the Satkhira border to prevent smuggling. Due to which smugglers are now being caught using the Satkhira border route. The rate of gold seizure in the region has decreased significantly.
Brigadier General KM Azad, Additional Director General, Southwest Region Commander of BGB, said that because of the headquarters of the Region Commander in this region, it is possible to stop smuggling of gold through the borders to a large extent.
Smugglers who are trying to smuggle gold and drugs through these borders to India or from India to Bangladesh are also frequently caught. Work is also underway to identify the masterminds behind.