It sound weird but it is true and a very fruitful step. Like human babies, 'Birth Registrations' of newly born calves are needed to be registered with the frontier outposts of Border Guard Bangladesh. Such a system of birth registration for a calf (both for cow and buffalo babies) has been in practice in frontier villages of Rajshahi district for a long time.
It is learnt that the West Bengal of India is just at the southern end of Rajshahi. Through the frontier villages, hundreds of cattle heads are smuggled into the country from India every year. After smuggling of those cattle heads from India to the frontier villages of Bangladesh, local smugglers drive those beside the river and and if challenged by the BGB, they claim those are reared to their cattle-sheds which makes the BGB confused. In such way, smugglers had been trespassing cattle heads to Bangladeshi markets and hats for ages.
To check the malpractice and to identify the smuggled cattle heads, BGB has introduced a 'Birth Registration' process for the newly born calf at the houses of farmers of the frontier villages. BGB is already getting the benefit of such registration.
Ashraful Islam of frontier Char Majardiar village recently went to issue a birth registration for his calf at Majardiar frontier BGB out post. He informed, it is mandatory to bring the newly born calf to the BGB outpost within ten-day of its birth. BGB members watched the calf, wrote particulars of it and registered it with a book. Before driving any cow, bull or buffalo to any market for selling, the concerned farmer is required to procure a permit from the BGB.
Rafiqul Islam, farmer of Char Majardiar village informed, the staple profession of the villagers is rearing cattle heads. In every house, there are five to fifty cattle heads. Earlier, they faced problems while driving those cattle heads across the river for selling. Now, they did not get any trouble because of the permit from the BGB outposts. However, he said, it is a little bit litigated to register a calf with the BGB.
Like the villages of Char Asariadaha union, many villages including Char Majardiar union under Paba upazila, Diar Manik Char, Char Kanapara and Decreer char under Godagari are across the river Padma and with the border of India. All farmers of the villages require to procure calf registrations to rear cattle heads in their houses.
Bulbul Hossain of Char Kanapara village informed, they require to take their cattle heads to the frontier areas for grazing. Earlier, while they drove their home grown cattle heads to shed after grazing those from near the frontier barbed wire fencing, BGB suspected and challenged them as smugglers. But, now they can graze their cattle heads without any challenge from BGB because of the registration of the cattle heads.
Char Asariadaha UP sources informed there are nearly 23,000 cattle heads at the union. Two BGB camps register those cattle heads free of cost. BGB issued two books for each farmer. One book is kept by the farmer and the other is kept with the BGB camp. During any birth of a calf or selling of any cattle head, the concerned farmer is required to submit the book to the BGB.
Sanaullah, Chairman of Char Asariadaha UP informed, the process of Birth Registration for the calf and procuring a permit before selling any cow or buffalo has been continuing for several years. He said he himself also registered the birth of a calf or sought permission from BGB for selling a cow or bull. Such a system is troublesome for the farmers.
Lieutenant Colonel Sabbir Ahmed, Commander of BGB, Rajshahi-1 informed, the frontier villages are situated across the river. The cattle heads cannot be differentiate whether those are home reared or smuggled after those crossed the river.
As a result, the process of issuing Birth Registration and permits for cattle heads has been introduced. The step is proving beneficial. India cattle heads rarely enter the country now-a-days. Also deaths (by BSF shooting) at the frontier areas have also decreased.