Border areas in SW region see influx of Indian cattle

Different border areas of south-western region sees influx of Indian cattle, mostly cows, ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the Muslim festival observed with sacrifice of animals.Although there is no provision for import or export of cattle between Bangladesh and India, unofficially a one-sided business is running between the two countries where Bangladeshis are buyers and Indians are sellers.The number sees gradual rise as both the parties find the business highly profitable while Bangladesh authorities ‘legalise’ a large portion of the virtually smuggled cattle through taking Tk 500 as customs duty.A total of two lakh 49 thousand 785 cattle were brought to Bangladesh in September this year and Tk 12 crore 48 lakh 92 thousand 500 was realised as duty while the number of cattle and duty realised in the same month last year were one lakh 29 thousnad 514 and about Tk 6.5 crore, said sources at customs offices in Jessore and Satkhira.In August this year, two lakh 26 thousand and 128 cattle were brought to Bangladesh and Tk 11 crore 30 lakh 64 thousand was realised for it.Custom sources said, in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2013-2014 from July to September six lakh 83 thousand 873 cattle were brought to Bangladesh and customs authorities earned Tk 34 crore 19 lakh 36 thousand 500 as duty. In the same period of fiscal year 2012-2013, the number of such cattle was three lakh four thousand 497 and Tk 15 crore 22 lakh 48 thousand 500 was earned as duty.The number of cattle brought in 2012-2013 and 2011-2012 fiscal years were six lakh 27 thousand 707 and seven lakh 60 thousand 24 respectively.South-eastern districts Satkhira, Jessore, Jhenidah, Meherpur, Chuadanga and Kushtia share border with India.Cattle are smuggled from India through hundreds of points across the 475 kilometre land border from Shyamnagar of Satkhira in the south to Daulatpur of Kushtia in the north, said sources of Border Guard Bangladesh.Authorities legalise a portion of the smuggled cattle taking Tk 500 as duty at 13 customs corridors including Basantapur, Kulia, Satani and Sonabaria of Satkhira, Navaron and Salkona of Jessore, Kusumpur and Bhairab of Jhenidah, Dariapur, Ujalpur and Bamundi of Meherpur, Karpasdanga of Chuadanga and Mohishkunda under Bheramara of Kushtia in south-western region.SM Shamsuzzaman, assistant commissioner of Jessore Customs Commissioner’s Office, said, “Cattle trade in bordering areas has risen to meet the huge demand ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Laxity about cattle smuggling in the Indian side of the border areas also contributes to the rise in the number of cattle coming from there.”