NEW DELHI: A number of Indian cattle traders are reportedly entering Bangladesh by illegally crossing border in Kurigram on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha this year.
Jatrapur Hut, known as the “Indian Cattle Market” situated on the bank of Brahmaputra River, is overflown with Indian cows while a corrupt group has been reportedly realising extortion money from the cattle traders.
A source in Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has relaxed its vigilance at many points inside India’s Dhubri district as rainwater has flooded those areas. As a result, cattle traders were illegally seeping in through these points.
Sources in Kurigram customs said only during the months of August and September this year, around 70,000 corridors were made for entrance of cows and oxes through the Dhorola Bridge and Roumari in the district which is three times higher compared to the season of Eid-ul-Azha last year.
Assistant Tax Officer (Kurigram circle) GM Ashraful Alam told the Dhaka Tribune: “Until September 18, around 24,000 corridors have been made through the Dhorola Bridge corridor point and it might cross 30,000 before Eid.”
According to government rule, after Indian cows enter Bangladesh, they are channeled through customs with the aid of BGB. Indian cows are kept in a “Khatal,” a place where cows are kept, where the channeling is done in exchange of Tk500 form the traders.
However, cattle traders alleged that they were forced to pay Tk550 per cow. Moreover, lessees in the cattle market realise Tk230-250 from them, which is fixed at Tk180 per cow, they claimed.
In Jatrapur Hut, a number traders complained that if the extra amount was not paid, they had to face different forms of harassment. If anyone denied to pay the “extortion money,” they were threatened of closing down businesses.
Many traders told this correspondent that although police do not extort money from them while they travel on cow-laden trucks inside Kurigram, they do harass them at other points.
Shahin, a trader coming from Tangail’s Bhuapur, said right after crossing Rangpur, policemen start harassing them. Situation gets worse at Gaibandha’s Polshabari and Gobandaganj. Anwar, Salam and Jahangir, three traders coming from other districts, echoed with Shahin.
