Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has strengthened security along the border ahead of upcoming festivals

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), under its South-West Region in Jashore, has stepped up operations to curb illegal stockpiling and the smuggling of fuel and edible oil, while tightening security ahead of Pahela Boishakh and Eid-ul-Azha.

The region, spanning nearly 600 km of border across Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Jessore, Satkhira, and Khulna—including the Sundarbans waterways—is being monitored through two sectors, seven battalions, and 116 Border Outposts (BOPs), with 464 patrols conducted daily.

Special surveillance has been reinforced at the Benapole, Bhomra, and Darshana land ports to check smuggling.

Lieutenant Colonel Md Shahriar Rajib, commanding officer of Nil Dumur Battalion (17 BGB), confirmed the developments.

Monitoring has also been intensified at 22 fuel stations, alongside 2,325 patrols and 899 special checkposts. Additionally, 868 awareness meetings have been held to engage local communities.

Joint operations involving the local administration, army, RAB, police, and customs have led to 31 task force drives, resulting in the seizure of illegal oil and the sentencing of one ব্যক্তি to two months in jail along with a Tk 5,000 fine.

Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, BGB has further increased vigilance to prevent cattle and hide smuggling, with additional patrols, checkpoints, and awareness campaigns in place.

Officials said that in the first three months of 2026, BGB detained 88 individuals and seized smuggled goods worth around Tk 58.93 crore, including 1.28915 kg of gold, 155.76 grams of diamonds, 10.5 kg of silver, 42 firearms, and 152 rounds of ammunition.

In 2025, a total of 420 suspects were arrested and goods worth Tk 377.46 crore were seized.

In anti-narcotics drives, BGB recovered drugs worth Tk 22.13 crore in early 2026, including 2,320 bottles of liquor, 100 grams of crystal meth, 122 kg of cannabis, 26,271 yaba tablets, and over 4,100 bottles of Phensedyl.

In 2025, the force seized 30,800 bottles of liquor, 37 kg of heroin, 161,000 yaba tablets, 49,000 bottles of Phensedyl, and more than 2,000 kg of cannabis worth Tk 19.52 crore, it added.