At the break of dusk, several groups, riding on small boats, come out from Keraniganj and adjoining areas and begin collecting tolls from launches and boats running on the river Buriganga.
Eight extortionist groups are said to be involved in collecting tolls in the areas of Sadarghat and Wiseghat throughout the night, divided in groups according to location and vessel type.
They disappear as the sun rises.
According to sources, the groups go into hiding during daytime in areas of Keraniganj, Kamrangirchar, Mohammadpur and Narayanganj. Kala Jahangir, Ratan, Humayun, Nurul Haque, Mazahar, Hasibul and Sona Mia are known to be the leaders of these criminal groups. The name of another leader could not be ascertained.
The extortionists allegedly receive regular support of the law enforcers.
If any boatmen or businessmen refuse to hand over the tolls, the criminals attack them and at times even throw them into the river with their hands and feet tied. Such kinds of incidents are occurring in those areas frequently and it is only possible by the absence of police patrols on the river.
Ashraf Uddin, a vegetable trader from the Shyambazar area, told the Dhaka Tribune on July 16, he brought vegetables from Daudkandi of Comilla by boat to sell in Shyambazar. On that day, a group of men stopped him under the first Buriganga Bridge around 11:30pm and demanded Tk3,000 as toll.
However, when he told them of not having the money they attacked him and left him stranded after taking his valuables and the boat.
A similar story was told by Ali Hossain, a sand seller from Kaliganj area of Keraniganj. He explained river users must pay Tk1,000 for the passage of small trawlers and Tk2,000 to Tk3,000 for larger ones.
These groups' activities are not restricted just to launches. Passenger trawlers on the river are also their targets. The extortionists collect the tolls under various guises of workers' organisations, including the pro-Awami League Sramik League, Lal Bahini, Workers League and Sramik Federation.
When contacted, Shakhawat Hossain, officer-in-charge of South Keraniganj police station, told the Dhaka Tribune his officers give particular attention to the river route to prevent attacks by criminals and miscreants. He noted the arrests of Kamal Hossain, alias ""Spring Kamal,"" 37, Kabir Hossain, 38, Israfil, 40, and Shahrukh Talukder, 42, who were caught on the river.
According to terminal sources, a total of 120 passenger launches leave the terminal every day, taking 98 different routes towards the southern part of the country with Tk600 collected from each vessel in the name of various different groups.
Shah-Alam, vice-president of Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation, an organisation representing workers of water vessels, said their activists would never be involved in any kind of extortion as they earn their money legitimately through hard work. "It must be another group which is involved in these activities."
On the other hand, Moinul Islam of Noujan Sramik League, also blamed other unknown groups for such activities. He said his group did not trouble the river-goers, but "rather they do their best do ensure that their journeys are hassle free."
