The organised traffickers have been using the country as a safe route for smuggling of the gold, the most precious metal and foreign currencies since long.
They are smuggling gold and foreign currencies through Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital Dhaka, MAG Osmani International Airport in Sylhet and Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram. They are also using the country’s land ports for smuggling gold and foreign currencies.
However, the main traffickers remain untouched. Since long gold is being smuggled into Bangladesh from various countries whereas foreign currencies like US dollars, pounds, Euro and Saudi Riyal are being smuggled out under the very nose of authorities concerned.
The traffickers get protection and patronage of the crime syndicates who have an unholy alliance with a group of corrupt officials of police, customs, Biman and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. Gold worth at least Tk200 crore every day and Tk73,000 crores every year is smuggled into Bangladesh, according to a study. According to media reports, from time to time, the customs recover smuggled gold, currencies and other valuable goods and arrest some people but the real smugglers always remain behind the scenes. In recent days the trend of smuggling gold has taken a serious turn as customs officials on Friday morning seized 280 bars of gold and six eggs of gold weighting around 34 kilograms from a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft BG-248 at MAG Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.
Four passengers of the aircraft have been detained in this connection. In most cases, the smugglers escape punishment for lack of convincing evidence.Some of them are, of course, in jails but lack of evidence may facilitate their release from jail sooner or later. In the last few years, the customs had seized gold ornaments and bars and arrested a number of smugglers.
Since long gold is being
smuggled into Bangladesh
from various countries
whereas foreign currencies
like US dollars, pounds,
Euro and Saudi Riyal are
being smuggled out
A section of unscrupulous officials of four departments - police, CAAB, Biman and customs – manipulate the cases of smuggling in such a way that sufficient evidence cannot be found against the smugglers. These officials and employees are part of the racket involved in gold and foreign currency smuggling.
Interestingly, the gold smugglers are arrested on the basis of strong evidence. But the evidence is mostly tampered with, enabling the smuggles to evade punishment and to continue their illegal trade with impunity.
It is alleged that a number of employees of CAAB responsible for airport security are involved in illegal foreign currency business and gold smuggling. Some of them were arrested on different occasions but later released due to pressure of the CAAB union.
These CAAB employees - mostly cleaners, conveyer belt operators and security guards - are known as ‘carriers’ in the smuggling racket. They have links with high officials for smuggling of contraband items. Besides, the organised syndicate of cheats, touts and muggers continue to roam in and around the all three international airports, snatching belongings from both incoming and outgoing passengers. They are also engaged in trafficking and gold smuggling, engaging in foreign currency and drug rackets, and shuffling of other unauthorised goods under the very nose of the authority concerned.
These gangs always maintain constant communication with a section of officials and members of Biman, Civil Aviation Authority, customs and security forces to make good their escape, whenever needed. Despite continuous surveillance and strict security measures, these organised syndicates also known as ‘Luggage Party’ prevail scattered at the airport to steal belongings of passengers.
It is learned that different groups of people are continuously roaming around the airport and awaiting opportunities to make away with luggage. On the other hand, inside the airports, inbound passengers often find their luggage cut, and valuables like mobile phones, laptops, perfumes, mobile phone accessories, chocolates, watches, cameras, taken away.
It seems criminal gangs have apparently taken control over the country’s airports taking advantage of poor security measures by the authorities concerned, customs and police.