Traders have kept huge stockpiles of smuggled Indian clothes in the stores of Khulna’s shopping malls.
The local markets have been flooded with the contraband clothes, which were brought in eyeing large sales during the Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest Muslim religious festival.
Due to such abundant supply of illegal clothes, the government will be deprived of a huge amount of revenue. It is also apprehended that locally made clothes will fall behind in the completion with foreign made ones.
Despite frequent anti-smuggling drives, real smugglers remain out of the law enforcers’ reach.
Business sources said smugglers had stocked Indian sarees, three-pieces and different clothes worth crores of taka at least two months ago, keeping in mind police and task force drives, reports UNB.
In previous years, police arrested smugglers, pirates and extremists involved in the smuggling.
Last year, Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) and task forces set up check posts at 15 points at the city’s entrances and launched search operations to curb the smuggling. However, this year, there has been no information about any such drive.
Consequently, the dishonest traders could easily stock the Indian clothes far ahead of the start of Ramadan.
On July 3, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized Indian clothes worth Tk64.7m from Shyamlabari area on the Benapole-Jessore Highway but nobody could be arrested, according to
Jessore 26 BGB Battalion Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Matiur Rahman.
At midnight on July 2, Indian clothes worth Tk4m were seized from Kakbhanga Lohakura of Kolaroa upazila and Boikari border of Satkhira sadar upazila in a drive led by BGB-38 Battalion operation officer Major Mazhar.
On June 24, Coast Guard seized a truck loaded with three-pieces and four-pieces worth Tk15m from near Rupsa Bridge.
On June 27, Indian sarees and three-pieces worth about Tk15m were seized.
Market sources said smugglers adopted different tactics this year.
Well ahead of Ramadan, the traders stocked Indian sarees worth crores of taka in different markets in the region without taking any risk.
Detective police sources said 20-22 people are controlling the smugglers’ syndicate in Khulna-Jessore-Satkhira and Benapole.
The most talked about smugglers of Indian sarees are Arif, Alfa, Chanda, Siddiq, Samsu and Harun.
The smugglers bring Indian clothes from the South Medinipur sea area Kakdwip through a river route and from Bonga-Chandpara through land.
The smuggled items are then brought to shopping malls from Bhomra port by trucks and covered vans and by trawlers from Dakope, Batiaghata and Koyra.
