Drug-smuggling networks are thriving at Benapole, Bangladesh's largest land port, due to the prolonged dysfunction of three critical scanning machines—a problem exacerbated by insufficient response from authorities.
Despite heightened security measures, including 375 CCTV cameras and personnel from the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Ansar, and private security agency Prima, drug trafficking persists, reports UNB.
The recovery of Phensedyl bottles and other drugs has surged, exposing significant gaps in the port's security framework. On Saturday, Ansar personnel intercepted 49 bottles of Phensedyl at Gate No. 5, while in July, 99 bottles were found among imported Indian goods.
The missing or malfunctioning scanners, including one valued at Tk 5 crore, are critical for screening goods-laden trucks from Bangladesh and India. Without these, recurring cases of missing items and increased smuggling activity have strained security efforts.
Anowar Ali Anu, Vice President of the Benapole Importers-Exporters Association, noted that smugglers often obtain drugs from Indian trucks or at border points, using the port as a distribution hub.
Shamsur Rahman, President of the Clearing & Forwarding Agent Association, has urged authorities to restore the scanners and improve law enforcement oversight to curb smuggling.
Deputy Director Rashedul Sajib Nazir confirmed that port officials have raised the issue with higher authorities, seeking immediate action.