Indian Bike Engines Are Used In Bangladeshi Boats

BOATS ARE RUN BY BIKE ENGINES OR BIKES POWER BOATS

SHIB SHANKAR CHATTERJEE

.. Recently one motorcycle (of Indian Bajaj Company) belongs to Nepal Karmakar, who hails from
Wagsik hamlet of West Garo Hills district of eastern Indian State, Meghalaya, was missing on 04th June, 2011,
at night. When Nepal saw his motorcycle was missing from his residence, subsequently, he had gone to the
nearest Bagmara PS of West Garo Hills district and lodged a police complain/case Motor Cycle vide GD
Number 87 dated 04th June, 2011. In this context, on 05th June, 2011, Bagmara PS had requested Company
Commandant of 40-Battalion of BSFI at International Border Out Post (IBOP)s-Bagmara and Bhawanipur
respectively and informed about the incident. After received entire information of the aforesaid incident from
Indian Meghalaya State Police Force (IMSPF) department, BSFI took immediate steps and activated their all
International Border Out Post (IBOP)s and the entire units of Intelligence Cell of BSFI. Meanwhile, when search
operation was started, Bhwanipur IBOP company commandant of BSFI contacted with his counterpart Border
Guard Bangladesh (BGB) company commander of Bijoypur IBOP of Netrokona district of Bangladesh and
requested him to trace out the stolen motorcycle in case crossed over to his side of the aforesaid international
border. Hearing the incident, BGB company commandant immediately took initiative about the incident, traced
out and confiscated the stolen bike on the same day 05th June, 2011. After that without delay the international
frontier border guard of Bangladesh BGB contacted with his counter part BSFI and informed the aforesaid
matter. Next day, on 6th June, 2011, international border flag meeting was conducted between the two
respective international border forces between 16:15-hours to 16:30-hours near the International Border Pillar
Number (IBPN)-1154/6-S and BGB company commander of Bijoypur handed over the bike (Bajaj
Discover) Registration Number ML-09/8412 to BSF (see picture) ..
Believe it or not, it is true that boats are run by bike-engines. There is a class of Bangladeshi smugglers,
who have found Bike Smuggling highly fruitful business along the hilly states that lie on the international border
side. These gangs of smugglers are in operation in those places, which lie between Eastern Indian State,
Meghalaya (EISM) and Bangladesh. It is a very alluring trade and it easily fills the empty coffer of a class of
miscreants that try to reign in the international border and so. Thus, the area, where prohibited goods or materials
were not allowed to carry out has now become a heaven of smugglers, miscreants and so on, who fearlessly carry
out their illegal business in these areas.
These men, who have got them involved with this kind of smuggling that is, stealing bike engines and
selling these stolen apparatus to the persons, who reside beside neighbouring areas, earn a huge sum of money.
Hero Honda, Yamaha RX 100, Bajaj Pulsar, Bajaj 100 CC to 120 CC/135 CC, etcetera likes bikes are in the list of
stealing and smuggling. The purchasers buy these engines at a cheaper price and use them in their small boat,
locally called Bhutbhuti (in the eastern Indian State, Assam) or Phatphatti (in the eastern Indian State, West
Bengal). That is, a boat powered by a minimum 03-Horse Power [HP] to 05-hp and maximum 30-hp 40-hp) in
both side nations. Actually, the aforesaid engine is only for propulsion, its power depends on how far into the river
it travels. This so-called Engine Fit Country Boat (EFCB), also popularly known as in Indian side as Shallop or
Shallow (that is, a kind of boat without masts), run by Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene oils, which ply in the rivers in
the international border areas or Bangladesh. Bangladesh generally imports these bikes that is, two-wheelers from
the states like Japan and North-Korea, etcetera. The reason is that India has never shown any interest to export
these things to Bangladesh. At that time, the matter of smuggling Bikes did neither catch attention of any
important ruler nor ruled and as a result, the business of the smugglers was going on smoothly.
The indifferent attitude of the inhabitants of above international boundary area also supplied oil to the
wheels of machines of smuggling. But, the air of suspicion soon began to blow in the minds of the officials on duty,
when these activities began to hang high there. In the meantime, a few miscreants related to these smuggling
bikes are caught. It is from these smugglers the officials came to know that the smuggled bike engines are sold to
the owners of the mortar boats, who use them to ply their Bhutbhutis (that is, Motorboats) in the rivers in
Bangladesh or so. The matter takes to air, when Mr. Dalton Marak, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Indian
Meghalya State Police Force (IMSPF) of West Garo Hills District expressed on 01st August, 2010, We have
arrested a few Bangladeshi miscreants, who were engaged in stealing bikes some months ago, who upon enquiry
confessed that they use to do these work in order to hook up easy money.
The miscreants arrested at that time were 20-years-old, Kanchan Koch and 31-years-old Santa Koch
alias Sarna Koch, who had couple of engines with them, which were plucked up from stolen bikes and hide
themselves in Chibong Bongre hamlet of West Garo Hills District of EISM, but later caught red-handed by IMSPF
with help of aforesaid village peoples and disclosed entire racket.
It is fact that Bangladeshis are using this kind of bikes engines into their boats to make the boats speedy
and earn quick money from the trips. However, these kind of boats are harm for the marine or aquatic species
like fish, river-dolphin, river soft-shell-turtle, etcetera for their movement and others activities, emphasized local
journalist E. M. Jose of Meghalaya State.
.. Listen, it is happening long time back. Initially, we have no clue about the racket and thought that
bike lifters and smugglers are smuggling bikes from India for young generations of Bangladesh, reason : to buy a

cheap motorcycle and for brands and give high mileages (run 65-kilometres to 70-kilometres per litre, in present
high price rise of petrol, diesel oil in the world). Each engine is sold minimum Rs. 08,000 to maximum Rs.
10,000. However, the amount depends upon condition and mileage of engine, thats all. But, when our soldiers
have seen that most of the time smugglers are pushing the bikes towards this particular international border than
the others as usual smuggling goods and caught and ask some of them, at that time, we have come to know the
reason of bike smuggling, which was our beyond imagination or you can say thinking .., claimed one of the
intelligence official of the BSFI, who earlier posted at Dhubri District of Indian State, Assam that shares
international boundary with Bangladesh.
It is cent percent true. Primarily we have seen that it is entangled with insurgency of Northeast India
but later we found that it is also used in the boats of Bangladesh for the river transportation system. These bikes
are also theft from mostly Indian states, Assam (Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Bongaigaon and Kamrup distritcs)
and West Bengal (Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, North Dinajpur or Uttor Dinajpur, earlier know as East
Dinajpur, South Dinajpur or Dakhhin Dinajpur, earlier know as West Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia,
North-24-Parganas or Uttor-24-Parganas, South-24-Parganas or Dakhhin-24-Parganas, districts, where actually
from small river to big rivers and rivulets are passing through of both side above-noted international border, that
divides the two countries) and even adjacent to Meghalaya State, revealed one of the intelligence official of the
Indian Army, who has posted at Kamrup district for counter insurgency operation.
Confirming the facts, the officials of the Indian Meghalaya State Government (IMSG) security intelligence
agency pointed out, It is correct that there are lots of cases have been registered in the Indian above states police
stations in the name of bike theft or bike stealing. When in this connections bike lifters were arrested and
interrogated in the custody, they disclosed that these bikes engines are indeed using in motorboats in Bangladesh.
Hearing this, we have come to know that this crime has given us the new idea that how the smugglers (including
national and international) are not only usually selling their smuggling bikes and its others parts to the
automobile markets of Bangladesh but also the bikes engines are vehemently using in the boats of Bangladesh
and how the boatmen of Bangladesh run their boats in their country as a ferry-service and get benefited from
that.
The engines that are plucked up from the stolen bikes are used in boats of Bangladesh for plying boats
smoothly in their waters. The engines especially of the bikes like Bajaj-Pulsar, Hero-Honda, and etcetera have
good mileage. Further these engines swallow lesser (petrol/diesel) oil than others, mentioned local automobile
experts. In this context, the BSFI soldiers posted at the Indo-Bangla international boundary and the personnel of
the IMSPF confirming the matter and said, These engines are handy as well as cover more mileage than the
others. Further the engines have another merit, which is that it can easily be set up in the boats.
As per BSFI source is concerned, They have detected and brought many such cases to naught. In recent
time, that is, on 27th April, 2010, the BSFI posted at Garo-Hills of EISM had prevented as many as two or three
smugglers, who had engaged themselves in dragging up a motorbike at Dalu of West Garo Hills District, which is
lie on India-Bangladesh International Border to Bangladesh. Thus, finding them in the perilous position, the
thieves then drew back quickly. Upon enquiry, we have come to know that there are a few gangs of smugglers,
whore vigilant in nearby areas of Tura of West Garo Hills District and so, who have an easy or smooth access to
Bangladesh etcetera.
We have obtained some specific information and concrete evidences from our sources and have come to
know from our neighbouring states, Meghalya as well as West Bengal that smuggling is a business that roves at
large in also West Khashi Hills district of EISM. Some Garo tribe people of the side of Bangladesh have made the
international bordering area a safe haven of their business that is related to bike hunting. These people do this
work in addition to their crimes. Not only that it is fact that a gang of Trans International Border (TIB) bike
thieves are operating at this particular aforesaid India Bangladesh international border zone (Indian Assam,
Meghalaya and West Bengal States), who after thievery bikes smuggled it to Bangladesh. In this context it can be
mentioned here that the corridors of India-Bangladesh International Border Smuggling of Motor Cycle in EISM
are : Bagmara, Killapara (IBOP), Nokshi (IBOP, which lies opposite same village under Jinaighati PS of Sherpur
district, Bangladesh) and Dalu (IBOP) of West Garo Hills district, Ramchenga, Gasuapara, Chandaboi (under
IBOP), Debajani of South Garo Hills district, pointed out an official of Indian Assam State Police Force (IASPF)
department (Superintendent of Police of Dhubri district).
Supporting the facts, M. Kharkrang, the SP of West Garo-Hills District of IMSPF narrated, In Borosora of
West Khashi Hills District of IMSPF, one Kala Mian (means gentleman in Muslim religious minority
community), a leader of a gang of criminals, who were driving down a few bikes to Bangladesh having been stolen
them from the hilly terrain areas with a view to selling them there. If the stolen bikes could reach Bangladesh, the
criminal at once set to work, who even could pluck up the engines and then set up them in the Bhutbhutis.
It is very odious offence and it must be kept under rein and for this the bike owner must keep themselves
alert of keeping them in their safe custody, revealed one of the officer of the BSFI.
(Author is former BBC, The Statesman, The Times of India & Hindustan Times & The Telegraph,
AP, AFP & PTI Contributor-cum-Photographer of Northeast India
/The writer specialises in South Asia & Indian Northeast States region Affairs)

References :

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Caption of the Pictures of the story :

Pix-Border-Boat-Bike (Bangladeshi Boat)-01-Caption : Low cost Bangladeshi boat (known as on both side
as Bhutbhutti or Pahtphatti) carries passenger and running by a Hero Honda motor bikes engine on Kushianra
river at India-Bangladesh International Riverine Border at Karimganj district of Northeastern Indian State,
Assam . (Photo/Shib Shankar Chatterjee)
Pix-Border-Boat-Bike (Bangladeshi Boat)-02-Caption : A Bangaldeshi Steamer (that is, steamboat)
carries the Bangaldeshi daily passengers on Kushianra river, which divides the India and Bangladesh, lies on
India-Bangladesh International Riverine Border at Karimganj district of Northeast Indian State, Assam.
(Photo/Shib Shankar Chatterjee)
Pix-Border-Boat-Bike (Indian Boat)-03-Caption : Low cost Indian boat (known as on both side as
Bhutbhutti or Pahtphatti) with a Indian tri-colour carries passenger and running by a shallow machine engine on
Brahamaputra river just near the India-Bangladesh International Riverine Border at Dhubri district of
Northeastern Indian State, Assam . (Photo/Shib Shankar Chatterjee)
Pix-Border-Boat-Bike (Indian Boat)-04-Caption : Low cost Indian boat (known as on both side as
Bhutbhutti or Pahtphatti) carries passenger and running by a shallow machine engine on Brahamaputra river just
near the India-Bangladesh International Riverine Border at Dhubri district of Northeastern Indian State, Assam .
(Photo/Shib Shankar Chatterjee)
Pix-Border-Boat-Bike (Indian Boat)-05-Caption : Low cost Indian boats (known as on both side as
Bhutbhutti or Pahtphatti), which run by a shallow machine engine harboured on Brahamaputra river at IndiaBangladesh International Riverine Border district head quarter town at Dhubri of Northeastern Indian State,
Assam . (Photo/Shib Shankar Chatterjee)
Pix-Border-Boat-Bike (Captured Bike)-06-Caption : Near Bagmara IBOP, which lies on India-Bangladesh
International Border, BSFI with recovered bike of Nepal Karmokar, which had been recovered from Bangladesh
with the help of BGB after it had stolen to Bangladesh to use in the boat. (Photo/Shib Shankar Chatterjee)
Pix-Border-Boat-Bike (Bikes in Stand)-07-Caption : In district headquarter town, Jalpaiguri of Eastern
Indian State, West Bengal, , which lies on India-Bangladesh International Border, (the various companies) bikes
are kept in a standing position near a office in this way, however, the Indian bike thieves gang are always trying to
steal these bikes and to send across the international boundary to use in the boats. (Photo/Shib Shankar
Chatterjee)