Children used for smuggling as BDR, BSF watchful about adults

24 April 2009, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

Two children carrying goods for smuggling to India across Durgapur border under Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat as using kids for the illegal act sees rise recently.Photo: STAR

Smugglers active in Sadar, Aditmari, Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas under Lalmonirhat district are using children as carriers as adults now prefer to keep away due to increased vigilance by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF). Using children for smuggling has increased recently as some 10 smugglers' syndicates active in Lalmonirhat district now find the strategy convenient to dodge BDR and BSF who have taken special steps to check cross border movement through 22 routes in Lalmonirhat district. Smuggling syndicates recruit children to smuggle goods from India, as border guards are not allowing Bangladeshi adults to come closer to the border even during daytime. The BSF that has reinforced its strength at their outposts, is also using searchlight at night to check cross border illegal movement, sources said. During a recent visit to some border areas of Sadar, Aditmari, Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas in Lalmonirhat, this correspondent found children aged between 10 to 15 years carrying smuggled goods. Most of them are from poor families. “Our parents are poor. My father earlier worked in the field but now he is sick and has to stay at home. My mother works at a neighbour's house as maidservant. Neighbour Dohar Ali gives us Tk 90 regularly for carrying his goods twice a day to and from India,” said Belal, 11, and Rasul, 9, sons of Minhazul at Gobda village near Durgapur border. They said they do not go far inside India. They remain within only one kilometre from the border. “My father ordered me to carry these goods to India. He gives me Tk 10 per day,” said 13-yearold Jasim, a resident of a bordering village near Durgapur. “We the poor guardians at border villages have not enough earning sources to maintain family. The adult people cannot move easily in border areas as border guards of both the countries are vigilant. So our children are engaged to carry goods,” Jalal Uddin of Durgapur border village said. Another person of the same village said smugglers instigate poor guardians to engage their children for carrying smuggled goods in border areas. For carrying goods one time in a day, a child gets Tk 50 to 80 from smugglers, he said. A few BDR officials told this correspondent that smuggling has reduced and children are now carrying small quantities by dodging border guards. A BDR jawan at Durgapur border said, “We hardly suspect children moving around or playing at bordering villages. But smugglers are recruiting children to carry smuggled goods to and from India.” “Using children for smuggling is not new. But it has increased sharply in recent times as adults are now kept under watch. We sometimes try to make the guardians aware of the bad effects of using children for smuggling but many guardians, mostly poor, cannot resist the temptation,” Bhuttu Miah, member of Mogholhat Union Parishad, said.