A section of law-enforcers and leaders of so-called bus, truck and tempo workers’ unions are allegedly involved in extorting money from those operating buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws and rickshaws in the capital. The rate of extortion depends on the type of vehicle, it is alleged.
Each bus has to pay on an average Tk. 500, a truck Tk. 200-Tk. 500 and each tempo Tk. 530 daily. For example, a Mirpur 1-Jhigatola tempo has to pay Tk. 530 daily as toll money to the police and union leaders, said a tempo driver who did not want to be named.
“We have to pay Tk. 90 at Mirpur-1, Tk. 290 at Shyamoli, Tk. 80 at Mohammadpur and Tk. 70 at Jhigatola points daily. A Mirpur to Mohakhali tempo has to pay Tk. 180 daily,” he said.
A tempo driver alleged that he has to pay Tk. 30, Tk. 60, Tk. 30 at three points in Mohakhali and Tk. 40 at the collection point in Mirpur-1 daily. Nosu Mia, president of the truck drivers’ union of Mohammadpur, said they have to pay Tk. 200-Tk. 500 daily to the police as bribe to ply their trucks. They are given a “token”, without which they cannot operate, he alleged.
One of the owners of Trans Silva Paribahan that runs buses between Mirpur and Jatrabari said on condition of anonymity that rampant extortion would force them to cut down their services gradually. “We have to pay Tk. 20,000 at Mirpur-1, Tk. 25,000 at Jatrbari and Tk. 12,000 at Motijheel collection centres every month,” he added. The amount is collected by some people known as “linemen” who work for the police and leaders of different organisations, he alleged.
Truck and tempo owners, however, declined to give details of extortion fearing retaliation by law-enforcement agencies. They feel the police will take away their driving licences and vehicle documents if they spill the beans. They also alleged that if they refuse to pay the bribe, they face a great deal of harassment at several points in the city.
When contacted, the deputy commissioner (west) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said the allegations were baseless. “But since you have raised the issue, I will look into it,” he added.
Iqbal Hossain, deputy commissioner (East) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said: “I have not received any complaint of extortion. I will take stern action if such incidents happen in my area,” he added.
Money is not only collected from bus, truck or tempo owners, hawkers doing business on the pavement too have to pay up. Adam Ali, 40, who came to the city from Barisal, runs a business on used garments in the Mirpur section-1 area. “I have to pay Tk. 75 every day to the police to run my business,” he alleged. The money is collected by a “lineman” at the end of the day, he added.
Courtesy of The Independent
