The smuggling of potatoes to India through Mogholhat border in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila is going strong because of negligence of Border Guard Bangladesh.
According to sources, at least 1,000 sacks of potatoes (one sack contains 80 kg) are smuggled to India everyday where 200 local people are engaged in the business.
Border people alleged that the BGB men and other law enforcing agencies were involved in the smuggling.
In anonymity, boatman at Kashem Ali Boat Ghat at Nagortari char village said: “Potatoes are smuggled to India from Bangladesh dawn to dusk every day.”
“At least 200 people living at different bordering villages are involved carrying the smuggled goods to India by bicycle and they use boat for crossing the Dharla River,” he said.
Nurnabi Islam, a smuggler at Nagortari char village said he had got Tk40 for transporting one sack of potato from Mogholhat Bazar to Gidaldah Bazar in India.
“I transport two sacks in a trip and I can do four trips from dawn to dusk every day,” he said.
“At least 300 families in the area depend on smuggling to make a living,” said transporter Karim Miah of Soleman Tanti char village.
“We transport potatoes from Bangladesh to India with the vigilance of Indian Border Security Force.
They never obstruct us and they assist to load potatoes in the Indian truck,” said a transporter in the condition of name not to be published.
“Border Guard Bangladesh at Mogholhat company camp get Tk10 against each sack of potatoes,” he added.
Many people including Abdul Hanif, Hafizar Rahman, Taherul Islam in the border village alleged the price of potato had increased sharply in the local markets as the potatoes were smuggled.
Bangladesh could earn revenue if these potatoes were exported to India in legal way.
But unabated smuggling is depriving revenue to the government, they said.
A group of smugglers and BGB men were earning windfall profit in smuggling potatoes to India, they added.
Bordering sources said, a kg of potatoes was being sold at Tk 16 in India while smugglers purchase a sack for Tk 9 in Bangladesh.
After bearing all expenditures, the smugglers make a profit a Tk 3 against each kg of potato.
The local farmers get fair prices but the consumers have to face a price hike.
Smuggler Mazibar Rahman said local farmers get fair prices and hundreds of families earned their livelihood by smuggling as they do not have other option to main their livelihood.
Commander of Mogholhat BGB camp Nayek Subedar Shamsul Alam said: “BGB’s vigilance was lax on potato-smuggling to India for the interest of the farmers.”
The BGB did not enjoy benefit in this regard, he said.
