Rackets abound in Teknaf Land Port

Ports are gateways through which import and export goods reach customers to help businesses run smoothly. Hence, it is of utmost importance that these entry and exit points remain functional and free of corruption of any kind. The Teknaf Land Port is one such gateway that has drawn the attention of the law enforcing authorities and the media for all the wrong reasons. 

Bangladesh's trade with Myanmar is conducted through this land port but investigations reveal there is hardly any record of confiscation of drugs, especially Yaba, that enters Bangladesh in large volumes on a regular basis. There are also no reported cases of arrests for tax evasion through false declaration of goods. An investigative report on the activities in and around the land port was published in this daily on Wednesday, which threw much light on the real picture there. It has been reported that there are gangs that have been forging import-export and other relevant documents for years and helping clients to evade taxes. This important port operates with a poor scanning system and has no dependable security apparatus to check the smuggling of illegal and contraband items like drugs, etc.

Evidently, over the years, the port has turned into a safe haven for some corrupt officials, their henchmen and unscrupulous traders. In the absence of an automatic scanner machine, customs officials only check about two percent of the cargo through a random sampling method, which is not enough to detect illegal goods inside any import consignment.

It is alarming to learn that cargo boats from Myanmar enter the port without having to undergo rigorous checks by the customs authority. Myanmar nationals coming with the boats as staff members roam freely in the markets nearby. Similarly, local traders, clearing and forwarding agents and port workers also walk right into the boats unrestricted. What causes observers to wonder aloud is the fact that no Yaba consignment has so far been seized at Teknaf Land Port, which is believed to be the major route for its smuggling into Bangladesh. 

It is good news that some corrupt employees have been identified by the law enforcing authorities and a ringleader named Nurul Islam, a computer operator, was arrested in September. Investigations conducted by the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) revealed that the ring leader masterminded smuggling of Yaba and forging of documents for the last many years. The ringleader has allegedly made a fortune of about Tk 460 crore.

It appears to us that from both the smuggling of contraband items point of view and national security point of view, Teknaf Land Port is extremely vulnerable. It deserves to be manned and protected by a more competent and honest contingent of customs officials and security personnel.