The small, 150-metre wide, flank of Sonai river in Hakimpura area has become such a challenge that border guarding force BSF has deployed close to 300 personnel here to curb smuggling instances which largely take place in broad daylight.
"All kinds of spices, salt, sugar, groceries, jaggery, milk, eggs, other eatables and other daily goods are smuggled from across the Indian side to Bangladesh while betel nut, sesame seeds, garlic, fish (hilsa) and even gold is illegally handed over under the water from this area," an official said.
This 'under-water' smuggling happens right in front of BSF and their counterparts Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
"When people from both the sides come for a bath or daily ablutions in the river, they bring with themselves neatly packed goods cleverly concealed under their clothes and while swimming they hand it over to the other side from under the water," a BSF official says about the modus operandi.
"It's a daunting challenge for our boys to keep a check on smuggling along this small riverine front. The river is not very wide and at times when there are several people in the water it becomes difficult for us to keep a check on who's from this side and who is from the other," BSF Commanding Officer of the area Rajesh told PTI on the banks of 'Aambagan' here.
The force, confronted with this one-of-it's kind challenge on this 4,096-km border, has deployed a motorboat and a small marine-trained squad to patrol the waters. Besides this, troops also keep a watch on the river area by patrolling along its banks and from make-shift posts.