Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
Extortionists are allegedly collecting Tk 300 to Tk 5000 from a city-bound sacrificial cattle-laden truck in different check points on the highways and water routes by defying police chief’s stern actions over toll collection from traders and farmers ahead of the coming Eid-ul-Azha.
They collect the extortion from truck drivers or traders forcibly in different check points by using the identities of various transport labour organizations, Awami League and its front organizations, police, BGB, local municipal and clubs, said sufferers, drivers and our local correspondents.
If any trader or driver refused to pay the extortion money then he would face various threats from the musclemen. Even the truck is forced to park nearby their checking point and it generally loses the chance for the steering opportunity until it pays both the ‘fine money’ and ‘extortion’ for disobeying, they said.
They alleged that the victim has no chance to get rid off from the helpless condition as some unscrupulous members of police and BGB are involved in such activities.
The invalid toll collection is unbridled at Paturia, Daulatdia, Mawa and Kaorakandi ferry terminals, according to them.
“We are now paying upto Tk 5,000 to police and extortionists for each truck,” a truck driver at Gabtali cattle market told The New Nation on Sunday.
Seeking anonymity, a lease-holder of the city cattle marker, said, “A good number of cattle are coming from India through different waterways and land routes illegally after paying extortion to the musclemen and law enforcers.”
A trader preferring to remain anonymous said, “At first the traders bribe Border Security Force (BSF) of India to bring the cattle to Bangladesh. Then it needs Tk 500 per cow to cross the corridor. In the next stage, the traders have to pay Tk 10,000 to Tk 13,000 in the ferry ghat.”
Taking the opportunity, several crime syndicates in connivance with law enforcers take Tk 2,000-Tk 5,000 per cow for getting entry in the market, he said.
Selim Uddin of Shakhati village under Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat said that he had to pay tolls at 14 points on the road to get his 16 cattle from Patgram to Gabtoli cattle market.
Yasin Ali, a trader from Jhenaidah, who came to Dhaka on Saturday with two trucks laden with cattle, was headed for the Kamlapur cattle market. But after the trucks reached Khilgaon, some Jubo League men stopped them and forced the trucks into the local cattle market. They took Tk 10,000 from him.
Younus Bapari, another trader from Jhenaidah, said that he paid Tk 300 at Savar, Tk 350 at Manikganj, Tk 400 at Aricha, Tk 500 at Dauladtia, Tk 550 at Faridpur, Tk 350 at Magura.
Mizanur, a cattle trader, who arrived in Gabtoli from Kurigram with 21 cattle, said he had to pay Tk 3,100 at various points.
Tariqul Islam, a trader in Aftabnagar in the capital, told The New Nation on Sunday, “I came in the market with eight bulls. I would like to sell each cow more than Tk 50,000 now instead of normal price Tk 45,000 due to the extortion.”
Anisur Rahman Majhi, a trawler driver of Angaria Bondar told this correspondent that Tk 1,000 to Tk 2,000 is being realized as toll by some cadres and mastans from each boat and each trawler laden with cattle.
Rustom Ali Khan, Secretary of the Bangladesh Truck and Covered Van Owners Association, claimed that assurances of security are routinely given in the meetings with ministry officials, police and highway police before every Eid, but they are hardly enforced.
Mollik Fakrul Islam, Additional Inspector General (Highway) of Police, said tight security has been enforced on all highways. He vowed to stop highway crimes at any cost. Police in plain clothes have been deployed to stop extortion.
“We have to cover over 12,000-kilometre long highway in the country with only 2,200 members,” he said, adding: “The security forces have also been asked to oversee extortions in cattle markets and highways.”
M Khurshid Hossen, DIG of Rajshahi Range, said, “I have no idea about the extortion. We will take action if any sufferer complains about toll collection.”
Commanding Officer of Joypurhat BGB-20 Battalion Lt Col Imtiaz Choudhury said smugglers along the border districts are becoming active to smuggle cow from India illegally.
On August 17, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque at a meeting directed his juniors not to stop sacrificial cattle-laden trucks on highways without specific complaints.
The meeting also decided for setting up of temporary police camps in the cattle markets, exhibition of the rate of revenue (hasil), checking additional revenue collection by lessees, confirming security in the haats, setting up machine for identifying fake notes, and keeping traffic movement normal.
Around 49 lakh sacrificial cows and 69 lakh goats and sheep are expected to be slaughtered across the country during Eid-ul-Azha while as many as 3,61,410 in the capital, according to official sources.
