The mysterious disappearance of about 6 crore taka worth of Indian saris, three-pieces, babywear and cosmetics seized by customs at Benapole land port has caused a stir, with allegations that the valuable seized goods were removed and low-grade local products put in their place. Customs has filed a criminal case over the incident.
According to customs sources, on 12 March the Jashore importer Safa Impex imported a consignment from India. Though the import papers declared baking powder, customs’ physical examination found about 6 crore taka worth of Indian saris, three-pieces, babywear and cosmetics. Customs seized the consignment over alleged revenue evasion of 2 crore 32 lakh 64 thousand 515 taka and placed it in the port authority’s custody. The seized consignment’s manifest number was 60120260010016333; M/s Huda Enterprise of Benapole received it as C&F agent, after which it was kept under port supervision in Shed No. 37 at Benapole land port. In the physical examination, 108 cartons held about 6 crore taka of undeclared Indian saris, three-pieces, babywear, face wash, cream, lotion and other cosmetics. Customs officers believe such a daring theft and fraud within the port’s high-security ring would be impossible without help from someone inside; customs has already served the port authority with a final demand for about 2.5 crore taka in revenue.
On a re-examination on 2 June, following the complaint, the seized Indian goods were found replaced with low-grade local products. Customs commissioner Mohammad Faizur Rahman said the recovered goods’ cartons bore the names of various local industrial firms and traces of local newspapers and courier services, suggesting the goods were brought there from inside the country. He said the local goods found in place of the imported Indian products were kept in cartons printed with the names of various companies of Bangladesh’s Bashundhara and Meghna industrial groups, with PP sacks wrapped in local newspapers and bearing various courier-service stickers — evidence that the goods were taken there from within the country. A criminal case has been filed. Benapole land port authority director (traffic) Md Shamim Hossain said a three-member committee had been formed to investigate, the shed in-charge had been withdrawn and served a show-cause notice, and CCTV footage was being reviewed. According to officials concerned, revenue evasion was first attempted through false-declaration imports, and an attempt was then made to destroy evidence by removing the seized goods — with an organised ring alleged to be involved.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report