Despite having high court ban on vehicle requisition police officials are allegedly extorting money in the name of requisition and in some cases they are using those vehicles for personal purposes.
Police officials let the vehicles go if the vehicle owners pay the money demanded. Such kind of irregularities are allegedly committed by police sergeants, town inspectors and related officials.
Vehicle owners, drivers and staff aired their grievances to this correspondent over how they are harassed and exploited by police officials in the name requisition.
The high court in 2010 asked the government and police not to requisition any vehicle if it does not involve any kind of public interest. However, police in violation of the order commandeer vehicles on the excuse of public interest but use them for personal purposes.
It was further alleged that police, after requisition, free the vehicles in exchange for Tk500 to Tk1000. As the rule goes, police are bound to give back the vehicles within three days but in most cases they do not do so.
Police even do not give any allowance to drivers for meal nor any payment for refuelling. Not only police but also the government officials and their family members are using the requisitioned vehicles.
The court’s ban on vehicle requisition came following a writ on May 23 of 2010. Advocate Manjil Morshed filed the write petition with the High Court challenging the legality of vehicle requisition.
In this regard, Advocate Manjil Morhsed, said that requisitioned vehicles could only be used for state affairs but that too should be done in line with the HC order.
“The authorities concerned must pay the owners of the vehicle for its use and compensate for any damage done to the vehicle,” Manjil Morshed.
If anyone uses those vehicle for officials or personal purposes it is tantamount to contempt of court and officials concerned must be punished for that, he noted.
A high official of police traffic department said they had requisitioned over 100 to 150 vehicles during election period.
This correspondent came across an incident of vehicle requisition while crossing Gandaria area on March 3. Police stopped a Laguna (Dhaka Metro-Cha- 140760), checked its papers and then asked the passenger to get off. After that they put a sticker on it and took it away.
A businessman in return for anonymity said his Noa microbus was requisitioned on April 26 from Kanchpur Bridge area as he along with his family members was coming to the capital.
He said police kept his vehicle for 11 days and did not pay any money. The oil tank of the car was loaded when it was requisitioned.
Several owners of rent-a-car business establishments claimed that police had taken their microbus and when they contacted Rajarbagh Police Line they were asked to wait for one more week.
If any request is made in a bid to free the vehicle then police keep it for a longer period of time as a punishment. During this period the vehicle, on average, is used for over 15 hours a day.
Not only traffic department of police but also police stations in the capital are allegedly involved in such illegal requisition of vehicles.
Earlier, taxicab drivers clashed pitched battle with police on May 13, 2010 protesting illegal requisition of their cabs. Taxicab drivers then charged that police forcibly took their vehicles and released those only when they were given money.
Contacted, Mainul Islam, deputy commissioner (transport) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said during the time of political programmes the demand for vehicle goes higher and they requisition vehicles to check violence.
“At present we are to requisition around 30 to 35 vehicles daily but we do so following all legal procedures like paying fare fixed by the government, he claimed.