BGB
Gold bars worth Tk22 crore seized at Benapole: BGB
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have claimed to have detained two men and seized gold bars worth nearly Tk22.45 crore from the border areas in Benapole in the last two days.
BGB detained Omar Faruk, 27, and Farhad Hossain, 32, of Chandpur district with 112 gold bars worth Tk15.65 crore, weighing 16.5kg, from the Amrakhali border area in Benapole Wednesday, Lieutenant Colonel Minhaj Ahmed Siddique, commanding officer of BGB 21, said.
Meanwhile, another BGB team seized 82 gold bars worth Tk6.80 crore, weighing 9.5kg, from Benapole's Panchbhulot border area Thursday.
"The smuggler, identified as Mohammad Mehdi (25) of Jashore's Benapole, fled the area after being chased by a BGB team, leaving his motorcycle and a bag with the gold behind," said Lieutenant Colonel Tanveer Ahmed, commanding officer of BGB 21 Battalion.
Legal actions will be taken against those involved in the gold smuggling, the commanding officers said.
Also read: 56 gold bars seized at Chattogram airport
BGB says it seized crystal meth, yaba worth Tk 11.46 crore in Teknaf
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Friday claimed to have seized drugs worth nearly Tk 11.46 crore in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila.
Based on a tip-off, a patrol team of BGB intercepted a boat carrying a suspected smuggler in the Naf river of Teknaf upazila at 6:50 pm while he was heading towards the Beribadh area, said Lt Col Sheikh Khalid Md Iftekhar, Commander of BGB-2 battalion.
At one stage, the BGB challenged the boat.
Read: BGB seizes drugs worth Tk 13.5cr in Cox’s Bazar
Sensing danger, the man on the boat escaped but the BGB men seized a bag containing 2.11kg of crystal meth and 30,000 Yaba tablets worth Tk 11.46 crore, he said.
BGB detains woman with gold worth over Tk 8 million in Benapole
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Sunday detained a woman and seized 10 gold bars, weighing 1.165 kg from her along Putkhali border in Jashore district.
The detainee is Ratna Begum, 34, wife of Md. Kamal Hossain of Putkhali Uttarpara village.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of BGB-21 conducted a drive along the bordering area and detained the woman around 9:30pm while trying to smuggle it to India, said Commanding Officer of 21 BGB Battalion Lt Col Tanvir Rahman.
Read: Man held with over 2.5 lakh Dirham at Ctg airport
Later, she was searched and the 10 gold bars were found on her.
The market value of the recovered gold is estimated to be around Tk 82.5 lakh, the officer said.
The woman was handed over to Benapole Port Police Station, he added.
BGB seized Tk98 crore goods in October
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has said it seized goods, including arms and drugs, worth Tk98.05 crore in October.
The seized items include 573,393 yaba pills, 2.120kg crystal meth, 13,670 bottles of Phensedyl, 20,227 bottles of foreign liquor, 120 litres of local liquor, 3,815 cans of beer, 2,214kg hemp, 527g heroin, 44,237 stimulant injections, 7,229 Eskuf syrups, and 1,605 bottles of MkDil/Cofidil, Shariful Islam, public relations officer of the BGB headquarters, said Wednesday.
Read more: BGB seizes smuggled goods worth Tk 132 crore in May
Also, 27.829kg gold, 24.489kg silver, 1,45,977 cosmetics, 5,702 imitation jewellery, 12,364 sarees, 5,323 three-piece sets, blankets and shirt pieces; 2,870 pieces of readymade garments, 3,564 cubic feet of timber, 4,709kg tea leaves, 35,250kg coal, one touchstone idol, 81 motorcycles, 7 trucks/covered vans, 10 pickup vans, 19 CNG and battery-run auto-rickshaws, and a car were also seized.
The seized arms include four pistols, three guns, 29 rounds of bullets, and four magazines.
Also, legal action was taken against 229 smugglers, 119 Bangladesh nationals and 11 Indian nationals for illegally crossing the border, Shariful said.
Read more: BGB seizes drugs worth Tk 13.5cr in Cox's Bazar
BGB wide awake along border with Myanmar: DG
Major General Shakil Ahmed, Director General of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), said on Monday that the border guards remained on high alert along the border with Myanmar over tensions that have plagued the region for the last two months.
“The BGB has remained very watchful and has taken a firm stand (along the border),” the BGB chief told reporters as he visited Ghumdhum area in Naikkhongchhari uapzila in Bandarban.
At least a dozen mortar shells have recently been fired by the Myanmar army on Bangladesh territory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh has warned Myanmar over it. Myanamr says its military is fighting against insurgent groups inside their territory.
“Since it is an internal issue of Myanmar, on the other side of the border, that’s their concern to deal with. Bangladesh has strongly protested after patrols of the Myanmar military crossed the border line and fired mortar shells that fell inside Bangladesh. Bangladesh has sent a note of protests,” he said.
In response, he said, Myanmar agreed to hold a flag meeting with the BGB. “The flag meeting is expected to be held very soon,” he said.
Read: BSF kills Bangladeshi cattle trader in Chuadanga, says BGB
Shakil reached Ghumdhum from Cox's Bazar at 11 am and visited Tambru, Baishfari, Tuingajhiri and Rejupara border outposts.
On October 5, a Bangladeshi man lost a leg in a landmine explosion near the border, also Naikkhongchhari.
On September 16, a second Bangladeshi youth was seriously injured in a landmine explosion along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border at Naikkhongchhari.
BSF kills Bangladeshi cattle trader in Chuadanga, says BGB
Indian border guards shot and killed a Bangladeshi man at Boldiya border in Damurhuda upazila of the Chuadanga district early Sunday.
The killing was confirmed by a Bangladesh Border Guard official.
The Bangladeshi man, said to be a cattle trader, was identified as Muntaj Hossain alias Jahangir, 32, from Boldiay School Para.
Read: 2 Bangladeshi youths killed in BSF firing along Lalmonirhat border
Lt Col Shah Mohammad Istiaq, director of BGB-6 battalion, said that the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) fired around 5am am when Muntaj went to India to bring cattle through border opposite the No 82 main pillar, leaving him dead on the spot.
He said the body is still on the Indian side of the border separated by barbed wire fence.
AHM Lutful Kabir, officer-in-charge of the area's Darshana police station, said they were aware of the matter, but have no details.
Smuggled goods worth Tk 121.58 cr seized in September: BGB
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized smuggled goods, arms, ammunition and drugs worth Tk 121.58 crore across the country in September.
The seized drugs include 8,31,594 Yaba pills, 3.141 Kg crystal meth, 19,797 bottles of phensidyl, 15,202 bottles of foreign liquor, 795 liters of local liquor, 2,680 cans of beer, 2,206 kg cannabis, 2.16 kg heroin, 21,098 injections, 6,620 Eskuf syrups, 755 bottles of MkDil/Cofidil, 2,85,267 Anegra/Senegra tablets, 9,61,524 different types of medicines and 97,350 tablets, said a BGB media release on Sunday.
Other smuggled items include 31.851 kg gold, 8.400 kg silver, 1,83,470 cosmetics, 1,063 imitation jewelries, 19,956 sarees, 2,930 three-piece/shirt-piece/bed-sheet/blankets, 2,105 readymade garments, 2,347 cft timber, 4,502 kg of tea leaves, 40,850 kg of coal, 5 touch stone made statues, 491 kg of pesticides, 56 motorcycles, 5 private cars/microbuses, 10 pickup vans, 24 CNG/battery autorickshaws.
Read: BGB seizes drugs worth Tk 12 crore in Cox's Bazar
Seized arms include three pistols, one revolver, seven guns, 16 rounds of ammunition, three magazines and 588 kg explosive like substance.
Meanwhile, BGB arrested 223 smugglers, 86 Bangladeshi nationals and four Indian nationals who tried to cross the border illegally.
Indian truck driver held with 3.48kg gold bars at Sonamasjid port
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) claimed to have detained an Indian truck driver with 50 gold bars weighing 3.48kg from the border area of Chapainawabganj's Shibganj Sunday.
The detainee was identified as Rentu Sheikh, 40, from Malda of India's West Bengal, Lieutenant Colonel Amir Hossain Mollah, BGB-59 battalion commanding officer, said.
Acting on a tip-off, a BGB team searched Rentu's truck at the Panama Gate area of the Sonamasjid land port as it was heading back to India after unloading goods.
Read: Benapole man held with Tk2 crore gold bars at border
"We found gold bars under the driver's seat. The truck has been seized and legal action will be taken against its driver," Amir said.
BGB, Coast Guard asked to remain alert with “reinforcement”, if needed
Acting foreign secretary Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam said they had a high-level meeting today (September 18, 2022) with all concerned and urged Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh Coast Guard to remain on high alert with “reinforcement”, if required.
Khurshed Alam, also secretary at Maritime Affairs Unit (MAU) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Bangladesh is a “responsible and peace-loving” country and they are “observing and tolerating” the situation along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border with much patience.
Talking to reporters at the ministry, he said they are in touch with all relevant agencies and the government remains alert so that no Myanmar national can enter Bangladesh.
Also read: Myanmar ambassador summoned for the 4th time
Earlier in the morning, the Ministry of Foreign Affais summoned the Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh Aung Kyaw Moe for the fourth time and lodged a strong protest over the recent incidents along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
The ambassador was summoned at the office of Md. Najmul Huda, Director General (South East Asia wing) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Khurshed Alam said Bangladesh conveyed to the ambassador that what’s happening in Myanmar is their internal issue and they need to think how they will solve it.
Read BNP urges global community to act against Myanmar's insolent activities
He said Bangladesh has told the ambassador to take steps to prevent repetition of such incidents – death and injuries – inside Bangladesh.
The acting foreign secretary said the Myanmar envoy listened to the Bangladesh side and assured that he would report to the headquarters.
The acting foreign secretary hoped that there will be a solution if Bangladesh remains strong. Bangladesh is not demonstrating any weakness, rather it is conveying its message to Myanmar from a very strong position, he added.
Read Do more to cut Myanmar military's revenue, arms supply: UN to countries
Asked who will take responsibility of the recent death, the acting foreign secretary said they cannot say exactly who had fired the bullet, though the bullet has “Myanmar army” written on it.
He said the Myanmar side was saying these bullets had been stolen by the Arakan Army and they are using these bullets to create "distance" between Bangladesh and Myanmar. “In such a situation, it is difficult to determine who will take the responsibility.”
Khurshed Alam said Bangladesh has asked Myanmar to take steps for stopping the spill-over of Myanmar’s internal conflict into Bangladesh.
Read UN experts seek more help for human rights defenders in push for accountability in Myanmar
Earlier, Dhaka reiterated its “deep concern” over the recent incidents of Myanmar’s mortar shelling, indiscriminate aerial firing in the bordering areas, and air space violations.
On Saturday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the government is trying to resolve the issues with Myanmar peacefully and diplomatically but a complaint will be lodged to the United Nations regarding mortar shelling at the border if necessary.
He said the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry has warned them (Myanmar) several times but they didn’t keep their promise. “We have lodged a strong protest over casualties from Friday’s mortar shelling by Myanmar at Tombru border,” he added.
Read Bangladesh wants discussion to avert border tension with Myanmar: Foreign Secretary
On Friday night, a 17-year-old-Rohingya boy named Mohammad Iqbal was killed and five others were injured as a mortar shell fired by the Myanmar army exploded at the Zero Point Rohingya Camp close to the international border in Tombru, Bandarban.
The deceased and injured were all residents of the Zero Point Rohingya Camp, known as the camp that is closest to the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, in No Man's Land.
Four mortar shells landed in succession at the Rohingya camp around 8 pm.
Also read: Home Minister: Will complain to UN over Myanmar’s mortar shelling if needed
Earlier, an indigenous youth, named Anganthowai Tanchangya, was grievously injured in a landmine explosion along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Naikhongchhari Upazila of Bandarban on Friday noon. Locals said it is the Myanmar army that has mined the area. Twelve mortar shells have been fired by the Myanmar army on Bangladesh territory so far.
“Govt, law enforcement alone can’t eradicate drugs, need help from all”
Saying drugs are coming from neighbouring countries, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today (September 13, 2022) explained that government and law enforcement alone cannot eradicate drugs and sought help from all sections of society.
The minister was talking to reporters after inaugurating the Rajshahi Police Liberation War Memorial Museum in Rajshahi Police Lines.
The home minister also said that presence of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) along Myanmar border has been strengthened.
Read: Warned Myanmar against firing shots towards Bangladesh, says Home Minister
“Myanmar government is at war with the Arakan Army, and that’s why a few mortar shells landed on the Bangladeshi side recently. Foreign Ministry has protested the incident. We have strengthened BGB forces patrolling along the Myanmar border, and it is expected that firing in the border area will end soon,” he said.
Earlier, on September 10, Asaduzzaman said that the government has asked Myanmar to refrain from firing shots towards the Bangladesh border.
Replying to a question over the attack on journalists at Rajshahi Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) office, the minister said, “Those who were involved in the incident will be brought to book. No one will be spared in this connection.”
Read: Bangladesh wants discussion to avert border tension with Myanmar: Foreign Secretary
Noting the contribution of police during the Liberation War in Rajshahi region, the minister said the museum was built to conserve their memories. Bangladesh will never forget their contributions, he added.
Later, Asaduzzaman also unveiled a book titled ‘Muktijuddhe Rajshahi Police’ and joined in an anti-narcotic and anti-terrorism discussion.