A well-organised syndicate was planning to smuggle cowhides to India by 13 routes at the border, according to a report of intelligence agencies.
Sources said the smuggling gang was mainly focusing on the northern and southern borders and it had already contracted several leather traders in India and collected a huge amount of advance payments to supply cowhides after eid.
The intelligence report said the gang was planning to smuggle cowhides from Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira, Patkalghat, Kaliganj and Rajarhat area through the Benapol and Satkhira, Koloroa border areas.
Cowhides from Jhenidah, Magura, Kotchandpur and Moheshpur area would be smuggleked through Jibonnagar border.
Cowhides from Kustia, Chuadanga, Doulatpur and Alamdanga would be smuggleked through Meherpur and Darshana borders.
Cowhides from Natore would be smuggled through Chapanababganj Sona Mosque and Rajshahi Godagori area while cowhides from Sylhet and Moulovibazar would be smuggled through Jaflang, Tamabil and Karimganj.
The intelligence report, that was submitted to the home ministry, remarked that the security arrangements at the border should be improved and police patrolling increased at Savar, Joydebpur, Kachpur, Ashulia, Manikganj and Sultana Kamal bridge so that smugglers would not able to take away cowhides from the capital.
In this regard, Benazir Ahmed, the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, has already ordered law enforcers in a briefing that no trucks carrying cowhides are to be allowed to leave the capital within seven days of eid.
Trucks carrying cowhides may, however, enter the capital.
Besides the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have also beefed up their security arrangements and are staying alert so that no one would be able to smuggle cowhides outside Bangladesh illegally.
Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, the director general of BGB, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Cowhides are a national treasure and we have taken special security arrangements to stop its smuggling. In this regard, orders have been given to captains of the 48 battalions at the border to remain alert and take all possible actions to stop cowhide smuggling.”
Asked about the security arrangements against cowhide smuggling, Hassan Mahmood Khandker, the inspector general of police, said the police would not allow any kind of illegal trade of cowhides.
