Benapole Land Port

Passengers going to India through Benapole Land Port during the Eid-ul-Azha holidays had to undergo much suffering as a section of policemen, playing the role of brokers amid the huge rush, realised money in the name of getting the immigration processing done.

During a spot visit on Friday, immigration police constables were seen harassing the passengers in front of Customs Passengers' Terminal at Benapole international check post and realising Tk 200 to Tk 300 from each passenger, promising to get the immigration related work done.

General passengers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, and patients -- none were spared.

The movement of passport holder passengers going to India for different purposes, including meeting relatives, treatment, business, shopping and tour, saw a great rise during the Eid holidays as the Indian High Commission issued a large number of visas to Bangladeshis under a 'special Eid package'.

During the five days from August 20 to August 24, around 27,000 passengers went to India through Benapole Land Port.

Taking advantage of the situation, a section of immigration policemen engaged in the illegal brokerage to earn some quick bucks.

A large number of men, women and children were seen standing in a long queue amid scorching heat under the open sky to get their turn for processing immigration documents on Friday.

The passengers had to undergo further sufferings, waiting in long queues for hours at Petrapole in India for going to their destinations.

Several passengers alleged that it takes a long time for their immigration formalities as the authorities of the two countries and Sonali Bank branch at Benapole check post did not arrange sufficient manpower to deal with the additional passengers during the Eid holidays.

“Policemen often extort the passengers in the name of doing the immigration process done. A policeman at the terminal veranda tried to forcibly take my passport but I did not give it to him as I would get the work done through due process,” said a passenger named Ayub Hossain.

Monir Hossain, traffic inspector at Benapole Land Port, said, “We have complained to the officer-in-charge (OC) of immigration police about the harassment of the passport passengers by constables at the land port's passenger terminal but to no effect.”

Contacted, Md Masum Kazi, OC (investigation) of immigration police at Benapole check post, said, “As the pressure of passport passengers going to India has increased this Eid season, staff at 16 desks are serving to mitigate their sufferings. I am not responsible if any policeman involves in brokerage or harassment of passengers outside the immigration area.”

Uttam Chakma, assistant commissioner of Benapole Customs House, said additional manpower was arranged at the check post for making the passengers' travel to India smooth.