The administration has decided to crack down on smuggling to weed out the illegal cross-border trade crippling the national economy from December 1. reports UNB

A high-level interagency meeting Sunday planned the drive, setting a November 30 deadline for all involved tn the Illegal trading to dispose of all contraband goods or face severe punitive action.

Finance Minister Saifur Rahman convened the meeting to review the damaging impact of largescale smuggling on the economy and collate sugges

Uons from agencies concerned' on effective means to curb the malaise.

Home Ministry Abdul MaUn Chowdhury. State Minister for Textiles Major (Retd) Abdul Mannan, several senior secretaries. Naval Chief, chief of BDR, A1G of Police, representatives from Customs and NSI attended the meeting.

The meeting lasting three hours felt that contraband items flooding the market posed a severe threat to industry. trade and business and revenue earning and stressed the urgency of a vigorous anU-

smuggling drive backed by a strong political trill.

"Shops have to be raided, surveillance of transit points has to be strengthened apart from plugging the entries," the Finance Minister said endorsing suggestions from BDR and Customs authorities.

Expressing concern at deteriorating law and order situation, Rahman urged the officials and representatives of law enforcing agencies to gear up concerted efforts to create an environment where people can carry out economic actMties without "undue intervention' and hazards.

The biggest input in development and democracy are good governance and enforcement of law and order," the Finance Minister said.

Genuine import is falling because of huge inroad of contraband items, Rahman said.

The issue of illegal sales of imported fabrics by garment manufacturers and its counterproductive effects on textile industry took nearly half of the three-hour deliberation.

Referring to the mushroom growth of garment factories, numbering more than 900, Rahman cautioned that the trend would lead to overgrowth and virtual extinction of the potential sector.

Home Minister Matin Chowdhury also expressed his dissatisfaction over law and order situation.

"Smuggling business virtually has taken over genuine business activities In Chittagong." he said.

He asked the Navy to be more active against smugglers as well as pirate*. "Pirate* threaten our frozen food sector as fishermen are now scared of them," he said.

Political influence was cited by many officials as a snag on way to dealing with crime and criminals.

About the measures being taken to curb smuggling. Home Secretary Lutfullahil Majid told the meeting that smugglers were being listed in each district. A battalion of BDR is also being deployed in the port city of Chittagong, he said.

BDR Director General Maj Gen Abdul Latif suggested strong vigilance on transit routes and shopping centres besides the entry points at thE borders. He also recommended that auction of seized contraband items be stopped.

Shah Abdul Hannan, member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) supported the BDR chief's view and also suggested air surveillance to

The government is planning to equip the Navy and other anti-smuggling agencies with adequate and effective logistic*. Mid the Finance Minister.