Cox’s Bazar Correspondent :
Indian and Pakistani Eid dresses have flooded the local markets in different markets in Cox’s Bazar.
From the beginning of the Ramzan, these items are being smuggled into the country through avoiding the vigilance of law-enforcing agencies. As a result, the government is losing revenue worth crores of taka.
According to field sources, the smuggled Eid dresses are being sold in the local markets using different attractive labels and at different prices. As a result, the items imported through legal ways have suffered blow.
A good number of markets in the district town are awash with the Indian and Pakistani low quality Eid dresses; but, using different attractive labels, these items are being sold at exorbitant prices; since it is more profitable, most of the traders here are getting interest in this illegal trade, the sources said.
While visiting a number of markets in the district town including Burmese Market, Abu Centre, New Market and Coral Reef Plaza at Bazarghata; Super Market, Samabay Super Market, Pourashabha Market, Jafar Plaza, A. Salam Market, Rajasthan and Firoza Shopping Complex at Borobazar; Shafiq Centre, Fazal Market, Rashid Complex, Eden Garden City, Sea Queen Market and Apon Tower at Main Road; and other markets at Krihsi Office Road, it was found that the smuggled Indian and Pakistani Eid dresses have flooded the markets.
Though the smuggled items are of worse quality than the local ones, these have more sales as different attractive labels have been used on the items, traders said. Of the imported Eid items, 80 per cent have been smuggled into the country this year. As a result, a huge amount of revenue remained unrealised from this illegal trade.
It was gathered that due to this illegal trade the local industry is suffering blow.
Several strong syndicates of India and Bangladesh are involved in this illegal trade. Due to backing of local influential quarters, the syndicates do not face difficulties while conducting the trade.
Some traders said that as the smuggled goods are tax-free, so these are sold at minimum rates.
On the other hand, the local products are pricier than the smuggled ones; so the sale of the local items has reduced drastically. Seeing the situation, the legal importers are facing setback in their trade.
It was known that most of the Indian goods are imported into Bangladesh through different land ports. Of those, most are imported through the Benapole port in Jessore. But, this year, the quantity of smuggled goods is more than the ones imported using legal channels. As a result, the revenue collection at the Benapole land port has come down to a great extent. It was alleged that Indian goods are being smuggled into Bangladesh through more than hundred points under 12 bordering districts.
It was further known that the smuggling happens throughout the year. The goods include clothes, motorcycle, bicycle, machine parts, electronics items, spices, child foods, dried fish, sugar, contraband drugs and arms.
Meanwhile, centring the Eid, different clothing and cosmetic items are being smuggled into the country. Sometimes the smuggled goods are seized in different drives, but the amount is far less compared to the total smuggled ones.
The goods are smuggled before the Ramzan and kept at different godowns in Dhaka and Chittagong.
Local big traders bring those items to Cox’s Bazar from the first week of Ramzan. Besides, the items are reached to the local traders following their orders through mobile phones. Traders said that the local clothe items are of better quality than the Indian and Pakistani ones. But, since the Indian items are less costly than the local ones, these have more demand among the buyers.
An apparel trader Rafiqul Islam of Main Road area of the town said that the local products have more demand among the buyers, but some traders are trying to popularise the foreign ones using different attractive labels of the actresses, drama serials and movies telecast in the Indian satellite channels.
Another trader of A. Salam Market in the district town said that the local shops are awash with Indian and Pakistani clothing items.
Indian and Pakistani Eid dresses have flooded the local markets in different markets in Cox’s Bazar.
From the beginning of the Ramzan, these items are being smuggled into the country through avoiding the vigilance of law-enforcing agencies. As a result, the government is losing revenue worth crores of taka.
According to field sources, the smuggled Eid dresses are being sold in the local markets using different attractive labels and at different prices. As a result, the items imported through legal ways have suffered blow.
A good number of markets in the district town are awash with the Indian and Pakistani low quality Eid dresses; but, using different attractive labels, these items are being sold at exorbitant prices; since it is more profitable, most of the traders here are getting interest in this illegal trade, the sources said.
While visiting a number of markets in the district town including Burmese Market, Abu Centre, New Market and Coral Reef Plaza at Bazarghata; Super Market, Samabay Super Market, Pourashabha Market, Jafar Plaza, A. Salam Market, Rajasthan and Firoza Shopping Complex at Borobazar; Shafiq Centre, Fazal Market, Rashid Complex, Eden Garden City, Sea Queen Market and Apon Tower at Main Road; and other markets at Krihsi Office Road, it was found that the smuggled Indian and Pakistani Eid dresses have flooded the markets.
Though the smuggled items are of worse quality than the local ones, these have more sales as different attractive labels have been used on the items, traders said. Of the imported Eid items, 80 per cent have been smuggled into the country this year. As a result, a huge amount of revenue remained unrealised from this illegal trade.
It was gathered that due to this illegal trade the local industry is suffering blow.
Several strong syndicates of India and Bangladesh are involved in this illegal trade. Due to backing of local influential quarters, the syndicates do not face difficulties while conducting the trade.
Some traders said that as the smuggled goods are tax-free, so these are sold at minimum rates.
On the other hand, the local products are pricier than the smuggled ones; so the sale of the local items has reduced drastically. Seeing the situation, the legal importers are facing setback in their trade.
It was known that most of the Indian goods are imported into Bangladesh through different land ports. Of those, most are imported through the Benapole port in Jessore. But, this year, the quantity of smuggled goods is more than the ones imported using legal channels. As a result, the revenue collection at the Benapole land port has come down to a great extent. It was alleged that Indian goods are being smuggled into Bangladesh through more than hundred points under 12 bordering districts.
It was further known that the smuggling happens throughout the year. The goods include clothes, motorcycle, bicycle, machine parts, electronics items, spices, child foods, dried fish, sugar, contraband drugs and arms.
Meanwhile, centring the Eid, different clothing and cosmetic items are being smuggled into the country. Sometimes the smuggled goods are seized in different drives, but the amount is far less compared to the total smuggled ones.
The goods are smuggled before the Ramzan and kept at different godowns in Dhaka and Chittagong.
Local big traders bring those items to Cox’s Bazar from the first week of Ramzan. Besides, the items are reached to the local traders following their orders through mobile phones. Traders said that the local clothe items are of better quality than the Indian and Pakistani ones. But, since the Indian items are less costly than the local ones, these have more demand among the buyers.
An apparel trader Rafiqul Islam of Main Road area of the town said that the local products have more demand among the buyers, but some traders are trying to popularise the foreign ones using different attractive labels of the actresses, drama serials and movies telecast in the Indian satellite channels.
Another trader of A. Salam Market in the district town said that the local shops are awash with Indian and Pakistani clothing items.
