Within a span of 10 days, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in Kushtia and Chuadanga seized snake venom worth approximately Tk 3.5 crore.
The latest seizure occurred around 11: pm on Monday, as has come to light in a press release signed by Lieutenant Colonel Mahbub Murshed Rahman, commander of the 47th BGB.
The press release said at a checkpoint set up by BGB at the Shimultala Bus Stand in Mirpur upazila and recovered nine bottles of snake venom from a passenger bus, worth at approximately Tk 1.5 crore.
Earlier, on October 17, BGB in Chuadanga, seized 300 grams of snake venom from an abandoned plastic bag on Mahananda Express train at Darshana Railway Station in Chuadanga. The seized venom, contained in three glass bottles, was valued at around Tk 2 crore.
It is believed that the venom was collected in Kushtia regions to be smuggled into India.
However, no arrests were made in either incident.
According to the Kushtia BGB press release, they received intelligence information that a narcotics shipment was en route to Kushtia on a passenger bus of Al Amin Paribahan from the district's Daulatpur upazila.
A special BGB patrol team led by Assistant Director Zakirul Islam set up a highway checkpoint at Shimultala Bus Stand in Mirpur upazila at 8:50: am. The BGB team stopped and searched the bus, seizing the venom.
Sources claimed that the seized snake venom was intended to be smuggled into India via Kushtia.
Kushtia has reportedly become a significant hub for collecting snake venom, particularly due to the availability of Russell’s viper snakes. Unscrupulous individuals are reportedly collaborating with illegal venom traders from India to facilitate this trade. These gangs are randomly killing snakes and collecting venom.
When contacted, Lieutenant Colonel Mahbub Murshed Rahman, commander of the 47th BGB told the Daily Sun that BGB is alert to check any kind of things intended to smuggle.
“But some other stakeholders have to be alert, stepping on the same ground,” he said, adding that those who are involved in snake killing for bottling venom are enemies of the environment of nature and the country.
SI Shoel, general Secretary of Bangladesh Environment Club Kushtia unit said that his organisation is working to protect snakes as a friend of nature.
“We have saved many snakes, particularly Russell’s viper in Daulatpur and Kushtia sadar. But people are unruly and not conscious of protecting the snakes.