The Moghalhat upazila in Lalmonirhat district has become a haven for smugglers, as hundreds of drug smugglers are doing business under the very nose of the administration.
According to sources, local AL men control the drug syndicates in the border area as they earn windfall profit illegally every day.
Three AL men, who are also the members of the syndicate, were arrested by law enforcers and jailed for two years each by a mobile court on January 1.
The three convicted AL men are identified as Abu Sufiyan,48, president of Mogholhat union’s 2 No ward unit AL, his son 2 No ward unit Jubo League’s Joint ecretary Habuibur Rahman and 2 No ward unit Jubo League Member Rabiul Islam in Chawratari village.
According to the people close to the border, the drug dealers earn a profit through sale of different types of drugs.
More than 150 people are involved in drug peddling at Mogholhat border, where at least 20 drug lords are active in the illegal trade.
Makeshift tents along the no man’s land on the Indian frontier are the provenance of a variety of drugs including phensidyl, wine, hemp and cannabis sold at a cheaper rate.
Very close to the Moghalhat border, many temporary drug houses have mushroomed in Nagartari, Jaridharla and Daribash villages under Dinhata police station in Coochbihar district of Pashchimbanga in India.
The BGB men and police are bribed while drugsare smuggled into Bangladesh.
Speaking under conditions of anonymity, a drugs smuggler at Mogholhat border said; “Many drug smugglers cross over to Bangladesh from India every day and bring different types of drugs by bribing law enforcing agents.”
They also bribe the ruling party men.
The ringleaders under conditions of anonymity said; “We have to give a regular bribe to the law enforcers in charge and when the BGB team was on patrol, they alerted us through a phone call.”
When contacted, commanding officer of Lalmonirhat-15 BGB Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Shafiul Alam Khan said; “The BGB men are always on high alert to resist drugs smuggling in the area.”