73,000 Cr Taka Annually Laundered through Gold Smuggling: BAJUS

Bangladesh Jewelers Association (BAJUS), the organization of gold traders, has alleged that about 73 thousand crore taka are being laundered out of the country every year through gold smuggling.

The leaders of the organization gave this information in a press conference at Bashundhara City Shopping Complex in the capital on Saturday (August 13) at 10:30 am.

BAJUS Standing Committee on Anti-Smuggling and Law Enforcement has demanded a vigorous campaign by law enforcement agencies including customs, the instability in the jewelery industry market in the country, the ongoing crisis and problems, the violence of domestic and foreign smuggling syndicates, money laundering and smuggling, and customs.

In a written statement, former president of BAJUS Enamul Haque Khan Dolon said that regular strict surveillance of intelligence agencies involving BAJUS is necessary for the transition from the current situation. An Anti-Gold Smuggling Cell should be formed with all the law enforcement agencies.

He said that illegal gold ornaments worth at least Tk 200 crore are being smuggled every day by water, land and air routes of the country by misusing the foreign currency earned by migrant workers. At the end of 365 days or one year, the amount of money is about 73 thousand crores. Due to the ongoing dollar crisis in the country, the government should take initiatives to stop this smuggling and smuggling of large amounts of money.

Besides, the issue of giving 25 percent of the total amount of gold recovered by the members of the law enforcement agencies as a reward to the members of these agencies came up in the press conference.

Enamul Haque Khan Dolan said, basically, this proposal of BAJUS aims to encourage the members of the law enforcement agencies to prevent smuggling. If this proposal is implemented, the prevention of gold smuggling will be accelerated. It will also reduce the wastage of foreign currency of the country.