Smuggling of oil from ships, particularly foreign-owned vessels, has become rampant in Chittagong. Several strong syndicates are engaged in smuggling oil from ship to ship, or from the oil companies, in the name of industries. The syndicates are also smuggling oil from state-owned Padma Oil Company, Jamuna Oil Company and Meghna Oil Company with the aid of fake documents, according to sources. Police seized five oil-tankers and five oil-vouchers, loaded with furnace oil, from Sadarghat in the port city, for smuggling of oil from Padma Oil Company Limited, on Friday morning. Sadarghat Police Station officer-in-charge Pranab Chowdhury told reporters that the tankers and oil vouchers were loaded with 5 lakh litres of furnace oil. He also said that one Selim Nobi owns the vessels and vehicles was one Selim Nobi.
Nobi is also the owner of Sea Side Marine Limited, an enterprise already featuring in a list prepared by the RAB to track oil smugglers.
On July 16, Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) had recovered huge quantities of furnace oil from two vessels after conducting frequent raids along the Karnaphuli rivers. BCG Lt. Com. (Eastern Zone) Masudul Islam said the two vessels were OT Queen of Joty and OT Shuchona.
There has been a recent spurt in smuggling of oil during Ramadan. Law enforcement agencies, particularly RAB and police, confirmed that more than 26 persons are at the helm of oil-smuggling syndicates in Chittagong.
According to sources, several syndicates are engaged in oil smuggling here in Chittagong. The syndicates are led by Abdur Rajjak of Wahab Store, Abul Bashar Abu of IMS group, Mohabbat Ali of Oecan group, Abdul Jabbar Chowdhury of Golden group, Najneen Sarwar Kaberi of Shuchana Enterprize, Abu Tayeb of Sayed Brothers, Nur Brothers of Majir Ghat, Selim Nabi of Nabir Brothers, Jafar Ahamed, Mohammed Rafique, Jabed Ikbal, Imam Hossain, Sarwar Jahan.
These syndicates smuggle oil from state-owned Eastern Refinery and smuggle oil from other state owned companies, in collusion with some unscrupulous officials.
-With The Independent input
