Dhaka, Jul 23 (Agency) Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police have taken steps to prevent the smuggling of skins of sacrificial animals into India through different borders, including Sharsha in Jessore, officials said on Thursday. The BGB and police have stepped up security along border areas of Jessore, Satkhira, Jhenidah and Kushtia districts. Jessore 49th Battalion BGB Commander Lt Colonel Selim Reza confirmed this on Thursday.
It is known that the market price of skin is very low in the country this year. Traders cannot sell it even at the purchase price. There is no response to buying and selling at the prices fixed by the government. It was known that in different areas of Sharsha upazila in Jessore, the skin of a 5-maund cow is being sold at 300 to 400 taka while its price is almost double in Indian West Bengal State. Hence, there is a risk of smuggling of animal skin. A section of traders in Bangladesh in collusion with their counterparts in West Bengal have been trying to smuggle Bangladeshi cattle skin into India. Receiving this information, BGB put the areas where there is a possibility of smuggling under their surveillance.
Security has been beefed up at Gatipara, Bara Achra, Sadipur, Raghunathpur, Ghiba, Dhanyakhola, Putkhali and Goga, Kayba, Agrabhulot, Rudrapur, Kashipur, Shikarpur, Shalkona and Shahjatpur border areas of Benapole. Abdul Wahab, a caretaker of Jannat Qaumi Mosque in Benapole Bagh, said people in his area had donated sacrificial animal skins. But its price is very low this time. The price of a goat skin is Tk 20 this year. Selim Reza said, the BGB has been kept on high alert to prevent the smuggling into India. BGB posts have been closely monitoring various border points. Patrols have been intensified, especially at night so that no one can smuggle skin into India illegally. That is why, the patrol system has been strengthened by identifying the risky borders, he said. The BGB official said, the order for vigilance would remain in force until further notice.