Stick in hand, face covered with cloth. All are smugglers. Keeping the sacrifice in front of them, it is as if they have already felt ‘Eid’. A herd of cows is crossing the border in the darkness of the night at Kalachaina on the border of Naikshyongchari in Bandarban. The deeper the night, the more the cow bleats. The truck is ready to cross the border. Cows are riding in groups on that truck. Then it goes to different parts of the country. In this way, barbed wire, rivers and mountains – everything is united, foreign cows are mixing in the sacrificial market. The smuggling ring is very strong, unstoppable, with the involvement of local politicians, public representatives, terrorists and some people in the administration. Goats have to go to the ghats to bring the cattle to this side by crossing the difficult road. Again, to avoid the eyes of the border guard, various kinds of magic are going on.

Not only Bandarban’s Naikshyongchari, but a big gang is bringing cows illegally to different borders of the country in anticipation of Eid al-Adha. The government is losing huge revenue. The representatives of the concerned area visited the border area and got such information.

Meanwhile, during the sacrifice, cows will not come from India and Myanmar – the farmers were hopeful of the government’s announcement. Now they are desperate because of the fear of loss in bringing Dedar cows through the border. Although the administration claims, strict measures have been taken to prevent infiltration of cattle from India and Myanmar.

Farmers have complained that various diseases are spreading in the animals of different farms in the border area due to cattle smuggling that has been going on for a month. The concerned persons say that various tests are done to bring animals in the country legally. However, there is no opportunity to know whether the cow that comes by the illegal route has any disease. This may cause long-term damage to the livestock sector of the country. If an unknown virus spreads across the country, it will be difficult to deal with it. Those concerned believe that poached animals can pose a risk to human health.

However, the way to steal is open

After the BJP government came to power in India in 2014, the arrival of cows in Bangladesh stopped. Cattle rearing increased in Bangladesh to meet the demand. There are 2 million farms in the country, both small and large. This time the number of sacrificial animals is 1 crore 29 lakh 80 thousand 367; Which is about 23 lakh more than the demand. This number is 4 lakh 44 thousand 34 more than last year. For several years before Eid-ul-Adha, animals did not come due to the strictness of the border. But this time the border is very loose.

Teknaf, Ukhia, Ramu, Chakria of Cox’s Bazar; Naikshyongchari of Bandarban; Locals alleged that most animals entered from India and Myanmar through 38 border points in six districts including Sylhet, Comilla, Lalmonirhat.

On the one hand, high cost of fodder, high cost of production due to extra care in intense heat and cyclone rimal are already in dire straits for farmers. Despite that, the farmers are allowed to freely enter the cattle on the way. They alleged that after the 2014 ban, the border has never been so ‘open’ as this time.

How to cross the border

Investigations revealed that smuggling gangs employ two types of people in transporting cows to the border. One group stays with the cows; Another group informs the shopkeeper if there is police, BSF, BGB on the road. They get two thousand rupees per cow. After crossing the border, fake documents were prepared to buy cows in exchange for money from any market in the country. There is no need to get into trouble with the police on the way.

14 ‘Guru of Nuts’ to insert cows

Myanmar cattle are also smuggled through Bandarban’s Naikshyangchari’s Love, Kambaniya, Tumbru, Bam Hatirchara, Phultali, Chakdhala, Lambashia, Vallukhaiya, Dauchhari, Baishphandi, Ashartali, Jamchari and Ramur’s Hajipara and Moulveerkata. People in the border area said that more than two hundred smugglers led by 14 identified persons became reckless around Eid al-Adha. These cows are reaching different districts including Dhaka by trucks.

Locals complain that some local political leaders, public representatives, robbers and businessmen of Ramu and Naikshyongchari are involved in smuggling. Among them are Kachhapia Union Parishad member Nazrul Islam, Shahjahan Siraj Shakeel, Jubo League leader Nashir Uddin Sohel, Gorznia Bazar Samiti President Ershad Ullah, Union Awami League leader Yashin Arafat Rishad, Jubo League leader Zahirul Islam, Jubo League leader Anwar Islam Rashel, Shawkat, Nazrul, sstudent League leaders Imad Sikder, Shakeel Adnan and Tarek Uddin Mishuk.

Meanwhile, cows are being smuggled from Myanmar to various parts of the country through Naikshyongchari Sadar, loaded with trucks loaded with the cows of Ramzanul Alam, the influential Ramu Eidgah market. It has been alleged that the Chairman of Naikshyongchari Union, Nurul Abshar Emon, is involved in the trafficking. Abdur Rashid, a farmer of Kachhapia Union in Ramur, said that most of the animals raised at the border market of Naikshyongchari are foreign. Myanmar cows are skinny. Because of this, the price of those cows is low.

Not in the hands of public representatives

Smugglers bring cows and buffaloes from India late at night through 18 points of four upazilas of Sylhet border. Later the cow was made ‘halal’ with a receipt from the local market lessee. Most of the Indian animals are brought through Damdama border at Goainghat, Bichnakandi, Morkitila, Lakshmanachara, Pantumai, Pratabpur, Lamapunji Khasia Haor border areas. Upazila’s Radhanagar Bazar businessman Islam Uddin, Jaflong’s Khokon Mia, including five to seven people are involved in this crime.

Cows and buffaloes are brought through the border areas of Minatila, Alubagan, Lalakhal, TBHor of Jaintapur. The traders of Haripur market in the upazila control it. Among them Fatehpur UP Chairman Rafiq Ahmad, former Chairman Abdur Rashid, Upazila Awami League Sub-Department Secretary Zakaria Mahmud, his brother Yahya Mah.