Habiganj, Oct 07 (V7N) – Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized a truck carrying 9,000 kilograms of Indian cumin allegedly being transported using forged customs documents in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj.
The seized cumin was valued at approximately Tk 63 lakh, while the truck was valued at around Tk 50 lakh. The total seizure value, including the cumin and truck, was estimated at Tk 1 crore 13 lakh.
Habiganj Battalion (55 BGB) disclosed the information in a press release on Monday night.
Acting on intelligence that a large consignment of Indian cumin could be transported by truck towards Dhaka through the border area, BGB set up a special checkpoint around 11am on Sunday, October 4, at Muktijuddha Chattar on the old Dhaka-Sylhet highway, about five kilometres inside Bangladesh from the border.
At one point, the truck driver apparently noticed the presence of BGB personnel and abandoned the vehicle about 500 yards from the checkpoint before fleeing.
BGB personnel later searched the truck in the presence of local residents and recovered 300 sacks containing 9,000 kilograms of Indian cumin.
Copies of a Bill of Entry and consignment documents were also recovered from the truck’s dashboard. BGB said the documents appeared to have been produced by colour-scanning and forging customs records.
The documents were subsequently verified through the relevant customs authorities and confirmed to be fake and forged, according to BGB.
Lieutenant Colonel Md Tanzilur Rahman, commander of Habiganj Battalion (55 BGB), said intelligence surveillance and search operations had been strengthened not only along the border but also on roads in border-adjacent areas.
“We are taking the illegal transportation of Indian goods using forged documents seriously. BGB operations against smuggling will continue to protect the country’s economic interests,” he said.
He added that the seized cumin and truck were being handed over to the Habiganj Customs authorities following the required legal procedures.
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