A shipment of goods allegedly being sent to the Prime Minister’s relief warehouse has come under scrutiny after Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized undeclared items worth nearly Tk3 crore and detained three people, including a customs revenue officer, in Benapole.
The seizure, made during a late-night operation in Jessore’s Sharsha upazila, has raised fresh questions over oversight and accountability at Benapole Customs House, which has faced previous allegations of irregularities.
BGB members intercepted a covered van in the Durgapur intersection area of Benapole Bazar early Monday after receiving intelligence information that goods were being transported under suspicious circumstances.
Among those detained were Benapole Customs House Assistant Revenue Officer Indrajit Mukherjee, who was responsible for supervising the consignment, along with the vehicle’s driver and helper.
According to officials, the shipment was being transported under documentation showing that confiscated goods from customs custody were being sent to the Prime Minister’s relief warehouse in Dhaka.
However, upon inspection, BGB found significant discrepancies between the approved inventory and the goods loaded on the vehicle.
Documents issued by the auction branch of Benapole Customs House authorized the transport of a specified quantity of saris, three-piece sets, blankets, bedsheets and veils.
Investigators alleged that additional goods had been loaded onto the vehicle without authorization.
A seizure list prepared by BGB showed the recovery of hundreds of Indian saris, dozens of three-piece sets, blankets, bedsheets and veils, along with more than 33,000 cosmetic products.
Officials said valid documentation could not be produced for a substantial portion of the recovered items.
BGB initially estimated the value of the seized goods at Tk2.67 crore, though officials later put the figure at around Tk3 crore.
During preliminary questioning, the driver and helper reportedly told investigators that the goods were being transported illegally from Benapole to Dhaka.
The operation also prompted authorities to monitor the movement of another truck inside the customs premises, suggesting investigators are examining whether the alleged irregularities extend beyond a single consignment.
Benapole Customs House Assistant Commissioner Md Rahat Hossain said the authorities had launched a review into the incident and were verifying the facts.
“The matter has come to our attention and we are checking all details. A decision is being taken to temporarily suspend those accused. Whether any irregularity occurred will be determined through an investigation,” he said.
Commander of the Jessore-49 BGB Battalion, Lt Col Golam Mohammad Saiful Alam Khan, said all recovered goods had been inventoried and the detained individuals handed over to Benapole Port Police Station for legal action.
The incident has renewed attention on governance at the country’s largest land port.
In 2019, the disappearance of more than 19 kilograms of gold from Benapole Customs House custody sparked a major controversy, with legal proceedings over the case still continuing.
Investigators are now expected to determine how the undeclared goods were included in a shipment officially destined for a government relief warehouse and whether others were involved in the alleged attempt.
