Photo : Collected
The murder of Anwarul Azim, Member of Parliament for Jhenaidah-4 Constituency, has unveiled a significant issue related to gold smuggling through the border areas. Anwarul Azim was killed while seeking treatment in Kolkata, India, and investigations suggest that his death is linked to disputes over gold smuggling.
Gold smuggling is rampant through the border areas of Jhenaidah, Jashore, and Chuadanga in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. From 2019 to 2023, a total of 647 kg of gold has been recovered in these regions. However, locals claim that the actual amount smuggled far exceeds the recovered quantity, indicating the involvement of influential figures in this illegal trade.
In the aftermath of Anwarul Azim's murder, the name of another influential government leader from the Jashore region has surfaced in discussions. It is also suggested that extremist groups in the region play a role in facilitating the smuggling operations.
Meanwhile, Kolkata police officers have arrived in Dhaka to investigate the murder of Anwarul Azim. The three-member team arrived on Thursday and has since held a meeting with officials from the Dhaka Metropolitan Intelligence Police. They plan to interrogate the arrested suspects in connection with the case.
DMP Additional Commissioner of Police (Detective) Mohammad Harun Or Rashid stated that the murder of Anwarul Azim was meticulously planned two to three months in advance. The criminals chose Kolkata as the location for the murder, believing that committing the crime on foreign soil would evade the notice of the Bangladesh police. After Anwarul Azim was killed in Kolkata, his body was gruesomely dismembered. The bones and meat were separated, mixed with turmeric powder, and taken out of the house in an attempt to conceal the crime. However, the exact location where the dismembered body was disposed of remains unclear.
The DB chief elaborated that the plans to kill MP Anwarul Azim, commonly referred to as Anar, were set into motion two to three months prior to the actual event.
Initially, the murder was intended to take place in Dhaka, with the mastermind Akhtaruzzaman considering both of his houses in Gulshan and Bashundhara as potential locations for planning the crime.
Despite the original intent to utilise the soil of Bangladesh for the murder, circumstances forced the perpetrators to alter their plans. On April 25, they rented a house in Kolkata, and by April 30, they had moved into the rented property. The mastermind of the murder, along with an accomplice, flew to Kolkata to finalise the preparations.
For two months, they meticulously planned the logistics of bringing Anar to Kolkata. On May 12, Anar went to the house of a person named Gopal, Anar’s friend. Two additional individuals, referred to as Jihad or Zahid and Siam, were hired to assist in the execution of the plan. These individuals would frequent the house as part of their involvement.
The mastermind coordinated all the details, including the arrangement of transportation, financial compensation for those involved, and assigning specific responsibilities. This comprehensive plan outlined who would execute the murder, how much each person would be paid, and who would manage each aspect of the operation.
The DB chief explained that three police officers from Kolkata have arrived in Dhaka and held discussions with the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police. They shared and compared the information they have gathered with that collected by the Dhaka police. The Kolkata police officers are also set to interrogate those who have been arrested in connection with the case.
In addition to the murder investigation, there is a growing concern about illegal gold smuggling in the region. Gold is being smuggled via air and then transported by road, with carriers using buses or trains to move the gold to border areas. From there, border smugglers transport the gold to destinations such as Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi. The western and northern parts of the country, spanning 10 districts, have become hotspots for gold smuggling, with numerous routes being used daily.
This issue has gained heightened attention following the murder of parliament member Anwarul Azim. The smuggling networks have been particularly active, with significant quantities of gold being recovered over the past few years. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered 54 kg of gold in 2019, 88 kg in 2020, 50 kg in 2021, 195 kg in 2022, and 260 kg in 2023. These shipments typically arrive in the country via air through various airports before being transported to the borders for smuggling into India.
Sources within law enforcement agencies have identified Jashore district as the primary route for gold smuggling in Bangladesh, with at least 10 safe routes across its border. Key smuggling routes in Jashore include Sadipur, Putkhali, Sharsha Shikarpur, Bhaberber, Daulatpur, and Shyamalagazi under Benapole police station, as well as Manoharpur, Chachipur, Kashipur, Shalkona, and Pakshia areas.
In Chuadanga, there are three main routes for gold smuggling: Karpasdanga, Darshana, and Jeevannagar. Additionally, six routes near Satkhira, bordering West Bengal, are used for smuggling: Bhadiyali, Kaliganj, Sherpur, Bhomra, Nongla, and Kaikhali. In Meherpur, smuggling occurs through Gangni, Qutubpur, Katuli, and Buripota, while in Kushtia, the routes are Dharmadah, Pragpur, Bilgatua, and Char Bhavanandiya.
In Rajshahi, identified smuggling routes include Sonaikandi, Haripur, Kashiadanga, Godagari, Charkhidirpur, Char Mazhardia, Alaipur, Bagha, Charghat, and Moktarpur. Smuggling also occurs in Manaksha, Ghughudanga, Ramakrishnapur, Shibganj, Kiranganj, Bholahat, Ramdaspur, and Sapahar in Chapainawabganj. In Dinajpur, the routes include Phulbari, Hili, Kamalpur, and Birol, while in Thakurgaon, smuggling takes place through Amjankhor, Haripur, and Atgharia. Lastly, gold is smuggled into India via Roumari and Phulbari in Kurigram and Burirhat in Lalmonirhat, Srirampur, and Dahgram border areas.
Locals claim that influential individuals in Jhenaidah, Jashore, and even Meherpur areas are deeply involved in gold smuggling activities. According to them, conflicts among these powerful figures often lead to seizure of smuggled golds. A similar situation occurred with the case of Anwarul Azim's murder.
Residents report that a prominent leader from Jashore is frequently mentioned in connection with these gold smuggling operations. This leader's name has surfaced repeatedly in discussions about the illegal gold trade.
Messenger/Fameema
