AKHAURA, Mar 27 (V7N) – In a major anti-smuggling operation, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized a massive consignment of Indian sarees worth approximately Tk 81.50 lakh near the Akhaura border in Brahmanbaria early Friday morning. The raid was conducted by a team from the Sultanpur (60 BGB) battalion following a secret tip-off regarding illegal goods being transported across the frontier.

The Operation at Bautala Border

According to a press release signed by Lt. Col. SM Shariful Islam, Commander of the Sultanpur-60 BGB, the drive took place around 4:00 am near the Bautala border (specifically the 2025/5-S pillar area), which borders the Indian state of Tripura.

During the patrol, BGB jawans from the Akhaura Land Port Camp spotted a group of smugglers entering Bangladesh carrying large bundles on their heads. When challenged by the border guards, the smugglers abandoned their cargo and managed to flee into the dense darkness of the border wilderness. Upon inspecting the abandoned bundles, BGB personnel recovered 953 pieces of high-quality Indian sarees.

Strategic Vigilance

The total estimated value of the seized goods is Tk 81,00,500. Lt. Col. Shariful Islam confirmed that the process of depositing the sarees at the Akhaura Customs Office is currently underway. This seizure is part of an intensified surveillance effort along the Brahmanbaria border to curb the influx of unauthorized products, which has seen several successful intercepts in recent weeks, including a Tk 9.38 crore haul of electronics and textiles in the nearby Bijoynagar area just last week.

BGB officials reiterated their commitment to maintaining a "zero-tolerance" policy against smuggling and have increased patrols in the Akhaura and Kasba regions to secure the national economy and border integrity.

END/SMA/AJ