Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized government birth control pills (Sukhi Bari) while being smuggled to India in Nageshwari Upazila of Kurigram. The tablets were seized from a boat on the Gangadhar River at the Dhanirampur border in the Kachakata union of the Upazila on Wednesday night (March 30). BGB 22 Battalion Kurigram Commander (CO) Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Mottakim confirmed the information on Thursday.
The tablets were being smuggled to India by sea, the CO said.
Mizanur Rahman, commander of the Madarganj BGB Border Outpost (BOP) camp in Nageshwari, said smugglers were taking government birth control pills to India by boat across the Gangadhar River at around 8:30 pm on Wednesday. When the BGB patrol team came forward, the smugglers jumped into the river and swam away. Later, 19,221 birth control pills were seized from the boat. Its estimated value is more than 11 lakh Taka.
Lt. Col. Abdul Mottakim said the tablets were seized but no one involved could be apprehended. As a result, it was not possible to confirm where the tablets came from.
He said the tablets were Bangladeshi and were being smuggled to India.
Asked about the recent smuggling of large quantities of birth control drugs, Mir Rafiqul Islam, deputy director of the district family planning office, said, “These drugs are supplied directly from the Rangpur divisional office to the Upazila level offices.” From there it is given to the field workers. We are not aware of that.”
Earlier on March 9, members of Madarganj BOP seized 99,900 birth control pills and 400 liters of diesel while being smuggled into India by the river at the Jaliyarchar border in Ballaverkhas union of the Upazila. The seized tablets were later handed over to customs.