Broker-free Benapole check post

International customs and police have freed Benapole check post from brokers 47 years after the liberation of the country.

Security has been beefed up at Customs and Immigration office to stop harassment of passport holder passengers travelling to and from India from Wednesday.

Benapole Customs Commissioner Belal Hossain Chowdhury said ultra modern scanners have been set up at the passenger terminal and security strengthened.

A total of 11,31,850 passport passengers  travelled between Bangladesh and India through international check post in fiscal year 2017-18. Tk  56.59 crore revenue was realised from these passengers.

CC cameras, passengers' rest houses and air conditioning system have been installed in the customs and immigration area.

Port security guards, Ansar members and customs officers' round the clock vigilance have been increased at the main gate of the terminal to prevent entry of passport brokers.   The number of India-bound passengers through the check post has also increased.  At present, every day about 3000 to 4000 passengers go to India through Benapole.

Benapole Customs sources said a section of brokers had been harassing the passport passengers coming from far-flung areas of the country for long.

Miking has been done every day so that no outsider can enter the terminal areas. The passengers are being cautioned not to give their passports to any broker.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Benapole check post police immigration Tariqul Islam said passengers stand in a queue to ensure their movement to and from India hassle-free.