Border Guard Bangladesh
BGB seizes smuggled goods, drugs worth Tk 106.98 cr in Sept
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized various smuggled goods, arms and drugs worth Tk 106.98 crore in various drives across the country in September.
The seized drugs include 20,03,787 Yaba pills, 2.95 g crystal meth ice, 22,368 bottles of phensidyl, 15,684 bottles of foreign liquor, 2,938 cans of beer, 1,565 kg 965 g of cannabis, 9.15 kg of heroin, 13,099 injections, 7,496 Iskaf syrups, 125 bottles of Magdil/Cofidil, 49,675 Anegra/Senegra tablets and 1,75,102 other tablets.
Around 6.78 kg gold, 53.60 kg silver, cosmetics s, 4,842 sarees, 112 readymade garments, 3,378 Cubic feet of wood, 10,826 kg of tea leaves, 26,050 kg of coal, 5 trucks/covered vans, 10 private cars/ microbuses, 8 pickups, 60 CNG/battery run autorickshaws and 70 motorcycles were among the smuggled goods.
Also read: BGB seizes 2000g crystal meth in country’s biggest haul in Teknaf
The arms and ammunition recovered included three pistols, five different types of guns, five magazines and 12 rounds of bullet.
Besides, legal action has also been taken against 345 people for their involvement in smuggling. Some 221 Bangladeshis and nine Indians were arrested for illegal border crossing.
Also read: Benapole: BGB on high alert to prevent rawhide smuggling
‘Drug peddler’ killed in Cox’s Bazar ‘gunfight’
A suspected drug peddler was killed on Thursday in a gunfight with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members at Ratna Palong union in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar.
The identity of the deceased could not be known yet.
Commander of Cox’s Bazar BGB-34 Lieutenant Colonel Ali Haider Azad Ahmmed said tipped off that a group of smugglers will enter Bangladesh from Myanmar with a huge amount of drugs, BGB members took position near Koroibonia border.
Also read: 'Drug peddler’ killed in Cox’s Bazar gunfight
As a BGB team tried to stop them they opened fire on them, forcing them to fire back.
At one point, the smugglers ran away leaving behind one of their injured members, said the BGB Commander.
The BGB members took the wounded peddler to Ukhiya Upazila Health Complex where doctors announced him dead.
Also read: Drug peddler’ killed in ‘gunfight’ with BGB in Cox’s Bazar
Fifty thousand Yaba pills, a locally made gun and two bullet shells were recovered from the scene.
A BGB member was also injured in the gunfight.
Two held in Kurigram for illegal border crossing
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained two Bangladeshi men Saturday for illegally crossing the border between India and Bangladesh.
The arrestees were identified as Zahidul Islam, 28, and Shahriar Ahmed, both from Bhurungamari Union.
A patrol team of BGB Shingjhar camp detained them while they were entering Bangladesh near the international boundary Pillar-952 S of the border near Shingjhar Mather Par area.
The offense however also includes illegally crossing into India first, before crossing back to return to Bangladesh. In itself, a Bangladeshi entering Bangladesh cannot be illegal.
Also read: Bangladesh detects first case of Indian Coronavirus strain
Officer-in-Charge of Bhurungamari police station Alamgir Hossain said the two men were sent to jail after filing a case under Bangladesh Passport Act 1973 against them.
Also read: Indian Covid Strain: Two more cases identified in Jessore
Benapole: International kidney trading racket busted, one held
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has claimed to have busted an international human kidney trading racket and detained a gang member.
Members of the force also rescued a man from the clutches of the accused as he was about to be trafficked to India through the Benapole border, the BGB said in a release.
Read: 3,350 Bangladeshis return through Benapole since Apr 26; 17 test Covid positive
The accused has been identified as Anisur Rahman, 27, son of Fazlul Haque of Gazipur City Corporation area. The rescued man, Md Yunus Ali, 36, is the son of Idris Ali Mandal of Dhukuriabera village in Sirajganj district.
BGB has also recovered the passport of a woman, Runa Begum, from the possession of the accused, the release said.
Yunus told BGB that Anisur lured him with a job offer in India on an annual pay package of Tk 3,70,000, and that he was not aware of the ill intentions of the accused.
Read:Arms, valuables, drugs worth Tk 120 crore seized from Benapole in 2020
Jessore 49 BGB Battalion Commander Lt. Col Selim Reza said both the accused and the victim trafficker have been handed over to the Benapole Port police.
Mamun Khan, officer-in-charge of Benapole Port police station, said the kidney trafficker would be produced in a court on Friday.
Bangladesh puts Satkhira border areas on alert
The border areas of Satkhira district have been put on high alert in view of a surge in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel have been asked to step up vigil along the border with India so as to prevent the entry of people from the neighbouring country without the mandatory health checks.
Commanding officer of Satkhira BGB-33 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Al Mahmud, said, "The spread of the Indian Covid-19 variant has pushed the neighbouring country's healthcare system on the brink.
"We don't want a similar situation in Bangladesh. So, we are keeping a strict vigil on the bordering areas. The idea is to make people legally entering the country undergo the mandatory checks and quarantine, and stop the illegal entry of people."
The border guards have identified the Bhomra, Gazipur, Kushkhali, Kaliani, Madra, Kakdanga and Toluigacha border areas of the district as vulnerable, he said.
Also read: 8 Indian variant cases identified in Jashore
A total of 590 mobile patrol teams are working to ensure the movement of people in the border areas. Already the BGB patrol teams have detained eight people for sneaking into the country without valid documents and handed them over to police.
READ: Covid patient infected with Indian variant held in Chandpur
"We are doing our best to protect our borders," said Mahmud. "The border guard personnel are also alerting people time and again about the Covid restrictions in the country."
BGB deployed on Paturia-Daulatdia, Shimulia-Banglabazar routes
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) teams have been deployed on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes in Manikganj and Munshiganj from tonight to stop the mad rush of homebound people.
Md Shariful Islam, Public relations officer of the BGB headquarters confirmed the development to UNB.
He warned that strict actions will be taken against those gathering at the ferry terminals despite suspension on water vessels plying from tomorrow.
Earlier today, Paturia ferry terminal saw a mad rush of homebound people ahead of Eid despite a so-called decision of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) to suspend daytime ferry services.
Also read: Ferry services suspended to contain spread of Covid
BIWTC took the decision late Friday night to suspend daytime ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes from Saturday morning as per government instructions to curb the spread of coronavirus infection ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
However, three ferries were selected to transport ambulances and hearse vehicles.
While visiting Paturia ferry terminal early Saturday morning, the UNB correspondent saw flocks of people stranded there, completely unaware of the hastily made late night decision of BIWTC.
Although some of them were forced to return, hundreds of passengers continued to hold their ground in an attempt to celebrate Eid with the loved ones at any cost.
Also read: Mad rush of homebound people at Paturia terminal
When an ambulance carrying a dead body was getting into the Madhobilota, a ferry kept for emergency situations, hundreds of these people forced themselves onto it.
The same incident happened with two other ferries anchored at separate terminals of Paturia.
After a few hours, two of those ferries, carrying hundreds of people, left the terminals and this was more or less the entire story of the day, which means the late night suspension of BIWTC has proved insufficient.
However, Jillur Rahman, deputy general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Aricha office said, “At all times the plying of water vessels has been suspended following BIWTC’s decision. Only three ferries are operational for emergency use. But we are facing difficulties in operating them because of excessive pressure by people wanting to get in.”
BGB troops deployed across country
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at different parts of the country, including the capital, for assisting the civil administration.
Lieutenant Colonel Faizur Rahman, director (operation) of BGB, said BGB troops were deployed on Saturday as per an order of the Home Ministry to assist the civil administration.
Earlier, on Friday, a clash involving Hefazat supporters and police left four people dead and at least 15 others injured at Hathazari in Chattogram on Friday.
Also Read: No shortage of drugs, gold and guns in BGB's February haul; over 200 arrested
The clash took place when police opened fire after a group of protestors attacked Hathazari thana compound and land office, and set fire to a vehicle.
Meanwhile, in Dhaka, at least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured in a clash between Muslim devotees and police in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area on Friday afternoon.
The clashes broke out when police barred people from bringing out a procession after Jum’a prayers protesting the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
No shortage of drugs, gold and guns in BGB's February haul; over 200 arrested
Members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) arrested 224 alleged smugglers in connection with seizing smuggled goods, including drugs and firearms worth Tk 48.14 crore from across the country last month.
Nation paying tribute to Pilkhana martyrs
The 12th anniversary of the atrocious carnage at the Pilkhana BDR (now BGB) headquarters in the capital is being observed on Thursday.
12th anniversary of Pilkhana carnage on Thursday
The 12th anniversary of the atrocious carnage at the Pilkhana BDR (now BGB) headquarters in the capital will be observed on Thursday.