Banglabandha Land Port Digital Scale Weighing Allegations, Two Employees Dismissed

SK Doel, Tentulia (Panchagarh): Banglabandha is the only quadrilateral land port in the country. Imported goods at the port have been weighed less and more on the digital weight scale. Landport authorities have suspended two employees this week after C&F agents and small traders caught them in the act. Traders and CNDF agents have been on the run for a long time due to the reduction in the size of goods and transport on the weight scale in exchange for a cycle of bribes. Besides losing remittances, the country has also suffered a lot in the revenue sector. Tensions are running high at the land port. Traders and C&F agents have declared all activities closed until a reasonable solution is found. It is known that Banglabandha land port has two digital weight scales. The weights of import-export goods and transport of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh are measured on these two scales. Thousands of tons of goods are measured in 4/500 trucks every day by digital method. It has been alleged that the unscrupulous officials and employees of Banglabandha Landport Limited measured the weight scale in exchange for bribe. Two employees were caught red-handed in the incident on June 13. Traders and C&F agents say the digital scam has been going on in the port for a long time. When goods are imported from India, Nepal, Bhutan, the goods of some trucks are less in weight scale. But in the weight scale, the quantity of goods found less is increased by the weight of the transport and equalized through digital manipulation. These goods weigh a few tons less when measured on the importer's own scale. But the money of the whole goods is already sent to the exporter's account through LC. Even though such incidents have been going on for a long time, no one could catch the incident of fraud. The dusty incident was suddenly leaked by a truck driver from Assam, India. The driver, Abdul Motaleb, said his truck was running low on cargo. But an employee in charge of the weight scale promised to fix it mechanically. For this he demanded a bribe of 300 rupees from her. Later he had to pay a bribe of 100 rupees. When the truck was measured on its own scale after the incident was leaked, it was about 1 ton less. Later, when the importers and C&F agents informed the authorities, two scale operators Ariful Islam and Mostafizur Rahman were suspended. Shamim Hossain, the importer, said, "I started importing at Banglabandha with a little capital with high hopes." Often my imported goods were less. I did not understand. I'm sitting on the road. Now I understand that it is a manipulation of digital weight scale. Many of the ports are involved with this. He demanded investigation and action. The workers say that even if they were not involved, the workers were often accused of theft. Jahangir Alam, joint convener of the C&F Agents Association, said a certain amount of dollars had to be sent in advance for goods that were under-measured. As a result, the government is also being deprived of remittances. 2 to 500 kg less per ton. An importer imports at least 30-50 tons of goods. 15 to 20 thousand rupees is lost in each LC. Now I understand that it is a fancy manipulation on a digital scale. Stay away from dividends in this car, losses are constantly being counted. We want a reasonable solution. Abul Kalam Azad, port in-charge of Banglabandha Landport Limited, said those involved have been suspended. The investigation is ongoing.