Due to a lack of effective surveillance and searches by railway law enforcement agencies, the Jharia-Mymensingh railway line has become a “safe transit” route for drug traffickers and smuggling syndicates. While there are regular operations and strict enforcement by various security forces along the land routes and roads near the Durgapur border in Netrokona, the situation on this railway line is entirely the opposite. As a result, drugs and smuggled goods arriving from India are easily distributed to Mymensingh and even as far as the capital, Dhaka.

This has sparked intense frustration among ordinary passengers and residents regarding the passive stance of the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Security Force (RSF). Currently, five trains operate daily along the Jharia–Mymensingh route. These include four local trains departing from Mymensingh, as well as the “Balaka Commuter,” which runs directly from Jharia to Dhaka. Smugglers have chosen these trains as their primary means of transporting illicit goods.

On-the-ground investigations reveal that smuggled items from the Durgapur border area-such as Indian liquor, blankets, cosmetics, sarees, and sugar—are first brought to Jharia Jhanjail station via CNG-run auto-rickshaws or motorcycles. Subsequently, the goods, packed into sacks, are loaded onto train carriages by individuals posing as passengers. To evade detection by law enforcement, the items are not concentrated in a single carriage; instead, they are scattered-tucked under seats or placed on luggage racks throughout the train. As a tactical measure, no one-neither a courier nor an owner-sits near these goods.

Consequently, even regular passengers on the train remain unaware of who the actual owners are. However, when the train reaches Shyamganj, Gouripur, or Mymensingh Junction, members of a syndicate, disguised as passengers, quickly unload the goods and slip away. In particular, when a train stops at the Mymensingh outer signal or slows down before entering the station, the smugglers throw the goods off the train and then safely retrieve them.

There is a strong, widespread belief among the local community that this smuggling ring has been operating with impunity for a long time by ‘managing’ (bribing or influencing) certain corrupt officials within the relevant administration. Regarding the smuggling of narcotics and stolen goods on trains, Abdul Malek, in-charge of the Railway Security Force (RSF) at Gouripur, stated, “Our primary responsibility is to guard railway infrastructure; matters inside the trains are generally handled by the Government Railway Police (GRP).”

“Nevertheless, we work in coordination with them.” “We have limited manpower at the station.” “Moreover, I have only recently joined this post.” “However, keeping in mind that smuggling tends to increase during the winter, we will implement the strictest possible precautionary measures to prevent such criminal activities.” Addressing this, Akhtar Hossain, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Mymensingh GRP police station, said, “There is no police presence on board commuter trains; however, acting on intelligence, we have conducted several operations, seized the goods, and submitted them to the court.” “These operations are ongoing.”

Regarding search procedures, he added, “As soon as a train arrives at Mymensingh station, the entire train is cordoned off and searched.” “Similar operations have also been carried out in Gouripur.” “So far, no narcotics have been discovered; only some abandoned blankets have been recovered.” On the subject of surveillance inside trains, he remarked, “It is a collective responsibility; everyone must fulfill their duties from their respective positions.” “Those who book the goods also have a responsibility to verify whether the items are legal or illegal.” “As for legal action, that is something we handle.”

Local concerned citizens and regular passengers strongly demand the establishment of security checkpoints at every station along this border-area route, as well as the intensification of joint patrols by the GRP (Government Railway Police) and RNB (Railway Protection Force) on moving trains. Otherwise, it will be impossible to put an end to the smuggling of narcotics and stolen goods along this route.