Extortionists are running rampant ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr and extortion in the name of a number of associations, including the Bus Owners’ and Workers’ Welfare associations, is prevalent on the Sirajganj highway.
Toll is being collected from hundreds of Dhaka-bound and north-bound buses around the clock and law enforcers have been said to be turning a blind eye to these acts.
According to police sources, on June 6, the deputy inspector general of Rajshahi Range ordered a stop to extortion by traffic and highway police on the Sirajganj highway.
Although police complied with the order, extortion in the name of the Bus Owners’ and Workers’ associations goes unchecked.
Toll is collected in the name of welfare money in every northern district and on both sides of Bangabandhu Bridge. Apart from welfare toll, the vehicles are required to pay regular tolls at a number of points, including Mahishluti, Boalia, Ulapara, Bhagabari and Chandaikona.
On July 14, Nur Amin, secretary of Bogra District Motor Workers’ Union, and Aminul Islam, acting general secretary of Bogra District Bus Owners’ Group, wrote to the local administration and several ministries, urging officials to take steps to stop the extortion in Chandaikona, but to no avail.
Toll is collected at makeshift toll collection points set up on the Sayedabad-Kadda-Hatikumrul highway in Sirajganj. On the south side of the highway, Rafiqul Islam collects toll from buses travelling to the north and on the north side, Montu Sheikh does so from Dhaka-bound buses.
At the toll collection points on both sides of the highway, there are 64 people, 32 on each side, who collect the money. Several of them carry batons.
Although Tk50 is written on the toll receipt, Tk120 is collected from each of the buses.
“The collectors get 10% of the money. Of the remaining amount, 51% goes to the associations and 49% is deposited in the workers’ fund,” said Rafiqul.
At Hatikumrul intersection, 60-70 people collect toll, from four points, in shifts. Although welfare toll is not collected there, extortion goes on in the name of other associations.
“Tk130-280 is forcefully collected, though it is supposed to be Tk50, from north-bound buses in Bogra,” claimed Komol Paul, general secretary of Raiganj Upazila Workers’ Welfare Cooperative Society.
General Secretary of Sirajganj District Motor Workers’ Union Ansar Ali said a decision was made jointly by the workers’ and owners’ associations to collect Tk50 from vehicles as welfare toll.
“The rate is supposed to be maintained in all northern districts, including Sirajganj, but in most cases, non-compliance is observed. Failure to maintain consistency in the rate in other districts results in such an anomaly in Sirajganj,” he said.
Officer-in-Charge of Bangabandhu Bridge police station (west) Aminul Islam said there was no extortion by police on highway from June 8 after the June 6 directive issued by the DIG.
“We learned about extortion by the workers’ and owners’ associations near Kadda traffic outpost. The extortionists there are very shrewd. They flee whenever we carry out drives there,” he said.
Traffic Inspector Mahbub Nabi said he had joined recently and would look into the matter.
Additional Superintendent of Police Moktar Hossain and Superintendent of Police SM Emran Hossain said no extortion would be allowed on the highway. Despite this, extortion is rampant near Kadda traffic outpost.
