Transport owners, workers demand end to extortion on Dhaka-Kuakata highway

Bus owners and workers in Barguna have demanded an end to extortion from vehicles operating on Dhaka-Kuakata highway. Leaders of Barguna District Owners-Workers Coordination Council, at a press conference at Barguna Press Club on Wednesday afternoon, alleged that a group of extortionists based on Amtali upazila have been extorting money from the vehicles plying the highway. Barguna District Bus Owners Association President Md Golam Mostofa Kislu said the extortion had been going on at four spots – AK School, Bottola, Chourasta and Hospital Road – on the highway. Although a union of bus, minibus and microbus workers already exists in Barguna, the extortionists had formed another union, styled Barguna Inter-District Bus, Minibus, Coach, Microbus Workers Union, and collect Tk20-50 from different types of vehicles under that banner, he added. Contacted, Barguna Superintendent of Police Bijoy Basak said they had already taken necessary action to stop the extortion.