Md Shrabon, Mongla
An organised gang of smugglers centering foreign ships at Mongla Port has turned desperate in their activities.
On the instigation of some influential quarters at at the port, 'powerful' members of this circle are engaged in pilfering, looting and smuggling of fuel, mobil, engine parts, machinery, dye-paint, barrel, solar panel, Gas stove, iron scraps, solid wood, wire rope, Hasil rope to tie ship), electronics goods, various types of drinks and drugs including Whisky, bear, Heroin and Yaba and other valuable goods from various foreign ships anchored at the port.
Those smuggled goods are carried through various riverine routes. The organised smuggler gang members are looting an smuggling of a huge quantity of such stolen goods by evading the vigilance of the law enforcement agency members round the clock, the recovery rate of such smuggled goods is nominal. As a result, government is incurring a huge loss in revenue and the legal businessmen at the port were facing a huge loss in their business.
During the last three-week, members of Coast Guard, Mongla (west) were able to recover huge illegal, smuggled goods in two phases and arrested three smugglers in this connection. Those seized goods and arrested smugglers were handed over to the police of Mongla Police station.
According to sources, an infamous and powerful gang of smuggling circle under the shelter of influential quarters has been built up and in operation at the places of Rejection Lane, Baidapara, Knainagar, Kumarkhali college crossing, Joy Bangla, Madrasha road, Digaraj, Bajua bazaar, Laudod, Chila Bazaar, Bania Shanta Bazaar, Machmara, Narikeltola, Joymonirghol and various other places of Mongla town. Dishonest miscreants of these circle were engaged in smuggling of various goods from the foreign ships either by making the captain and crew of the ships hostages or by establishing an illegal link with them and selling those smuggled goods to Mongla and various other neighboring districts resulting a loss in revenue for the government and a loss for the legal businessmen and traders.
It is learnt, on early morning of Sunday last members of Mongla Coast Guard( West) recovered 1950 litre of lube oil in 39 drums, parts of engines, solar panel, batteries, gas stove and gas cylinders worth Taka several million from the possession of the smugglers which they were trafficking from a foreign ship on a boat at Joymoni area of Mongla town. CG members also arrested three smugglers in this connection.
The smugglers were identified as Niamul Khan son of Bulu Khan of Kanainagar area under Chandpai union, Rafiqul Islam of Joy Bangla road and Harun Howlader of same area.
Earlier on August 17, CG members seized 50 barrels of diesel fuel from harbaria jonglar Khal area of Poshur river. Sesning the presence of CG members, smugglers managed to escape by leaving the barrels.
Lt. Commander Shariar Parvez, Operation Officer of Coast Guard west ( Mongla) informed, the Coast Guard is maintaining a zero tolerance policy in maintaining law and order situation, preserving the fisheries resources, drug control and smuggling.
Lieutenant Commander Nur Mohammad, Chief Security Officer of Mongla Port Authority, however, does not agree to pass any remark in this connection without the permission of the higher authorities.
Chairman of Mongla Port Authority Rear Admiral M. Shahjahan said, the coast guard is responsible for security and thoroughfares of channels as well as of riverine routes of the port while the security forces were responsible for ensuring security at the land area of the port. The Coast Guards were assigning their duties properly in cooperation with the port authority, he added.