Sylhet Correspondent :
Sylhet and its adjacent areas have been emerging as a hub of illegal foreign cars plying without any authorisation from the Bangladesh government.
These vehicles enter the country through different borders by dodging immigration and customs officials. Though several are later impounded by law enforcers, many of them manage to hoodwink the authorities concerned.
According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) office in Sylhet, there are as many as 111 foreign luxury vehicles in the city, which have been running without paying taxes.
Several of these vehicles, including some belonging to top global brands, are gathering dust in many police stations after being impounded. Such actions, however, have failed to deter these car owners.
On their part, the authorities pass the blame when questioned on their failure to tackle the menace.
On the morning of October 31, 2013, three Bangladeshi-born British nationals had entered the country in two jeeps (registration numbers X875 and LV52) through the Sutarkandi land customs station in Beanibazar upazila by dodging immigration and customs officials.
The trio was identified as Kabul Miah (passport no. 454793356), Askir Ali (passport no. 508898558) and Antar Ali (passport no. 652491487). The trio deserted the jeeps and fled when news about them spread in Sylhet. Later that night, police seized the jeeps from Sylhet’s Kumarpara area. A case was subsequently registered in this regard at Kotwali Police Station in the city. The three accused later surrendered in court and confessed that they had brought the jeeps from the UK. They returned to the UK after obtaining bail.
Although two years have passed since the incident, police are yet to submit a charge-sheet. Meanwhile, the two impounded jeeps, worth about Tk. 4 to 5 crore, are lying under the open sky at Kotwali Police Station.
Enayeth Hussain Montu, assistant director of Sylhet BRTA, told That “We don’t have the sufficient manpower to detect the foreign cars that enter through different customs areas. Customs officials know very well about these foreign vehicles.”
Sylhet and its adjacent areas have been emerging as a hub of illegal foreign cars plying without any authorisation from the Bangladesh government.
These vehicles enter the country through different borders by dodging immigration and customs officials. Though several are later impounded by law enforcers, many of them manage to hoodwink the authorities concerned.
According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) office in Sylhet, there are as many as 111 foreign luxury vehicles in the city, which have been running without paying taxes.
Several of these vehicles, including some belonging to top global brands, are gathering dust in many police stations after being impounded. Such actions, however, have failed to deter these car owners.
On their part, the authorities pass the blame when questioned on their failure to tackle the menace.
On the morning of October 31, 2013, three Bangladeshi-born British nationals had entered the country in two jeeps (registration numbers X875 and LV52) through the Sutarkandi land customs station in Beanibazar upazila by dodging immigration and customs officials.
The trio was identified as Kabul Miah (passport no. 454793356), Askir Ali (passport no. 508898558) and Antar Ali (passport no. 652491487). The trio deserted the jeeps and fled when news about them spread in Sylhet. Later that night, police seized the jeeps from Sylhet’s Kumarpara area. A case was subsequently registered in this regard at Kotwali Police Station in the city. The three accused later surrendered in court and confessed that they had brought the jeeps from the UK. They returned to the UK after obtaining bail.
Although two years have passed since the incident, police are yet to submit a charge-sheet. Meanwhile, the two impounded jeeps, worth about Tk. 4 to 5 crore, are lying under the open sky at Kotwali Police Station.
Enayeth Hussain Montu, assistant director of Sylhet BRTA, told That “We don’t have the sufficient manpower to detect the foreign cars that enter through different customs areas. Customs officials know very well about these foreign vehicles.”
