Apparel exporters are increasingly getting worried about the robbery of garment- and cotton-laden covered vans on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway as it throws them off their tight delivery schedules.For instance, Noman Group, the country’s largest apparel exporter that counts retails giants like IKEA, H&M, Kmart, Walmart and Carrefour as its major customers, was subjected to three instances of robbery in the past one and a half years. The company, which managed to recover some of the lost goods with the help of police, had to count losses of more than Tk 1 crore, according to its Executive Director Md Shahidullah Chowdhury.But what was more damaging was that the episodes put the company in an awkward position with its buyers.“It is very difficult to make the buyers understand that the goods were stolen by robbers on their way to the port. All they care about is the timely delivery of goods,” Chowdhury said, while calling for thicker police presence on the Dhaka-Chittagonghighway. In two separate incidents in December last year, Noman Group was robbed off a total of 120 bales of imported cotton worth Tk 44.97 lakh from the Comilla area, due to which it could not manufacture the work orders in time.Noman Group’s other incident of robbery took place in October this year.Md Yasin Arafat, manger of Grameen Bangla Transport Agency that was ferrying the consignment, filed a case with the Sitakunda Model Police Station right away. Only one of the robbers has been arrested although the case was filed against at least eight persons.In 2015, there were 18 cases of highway robbery, in 2016 seven and in 2017 five, according to data from Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.Similarly, the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association said in 2012 two incidents of highway robbery were recorded, in 2013 one, in 2015 none, and two each in 2016 and 2017.“We do not keep such record, but our members complain about robbery incidents often,” said Sulov Chowdhury, chief executive officer of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association.Contacted, Atiqul Islam, deputy inspector general of police (highway department), said they are working to rein in robbery on highways.“We also have to work on removing traffic congestion and preventing road accidents,” he said.Every day, a total of 12,000 outgoing and 13,000 incoming vehicles, including cargo vans, ply the Dhaka-Chittagong highway and 2,800 police personnel can be found dotted along the highway, according to Islam.“It is not possible to provide special safety to the cargo vans of a particular company — the highway police watch out for all goods-laden cargo vans at a time.”Islam, however, said the number of robbery incidents on the highway has declined significantly over the last two years. Mokbul Ahmad, president of Bangladesh Covered Van Truck Ponnyo Paribahan Malik Association, said incidence of robbery on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway can be found every month.“Some organised gangs are active in Dhaka, Comilla and Chittagong areas.”The robbers first stop the vehicles on the highways in the guise of police and later they snatch away the goods threatening the lives of drivers and helpers, Ahmad said.Sometimes, the robbery also takes place in connivance with the transport drivers, said Mohammed Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge of Joydebpur police station.“Recently, we held a meeting with the inspector general of police in Dhaka. The IG instructed the goods owners to file cases with the police stations under which the robbery incidents take place,” Ahmad said.A robbery is considered a mere theft, so the robbers, even if they are nabbed by the police, can easily get bail and then go on to commit the same crime over and over again, Ahmad added.
