Sagar Biswas :
Extortion is going on unabated from footpath vendors to luxury shopping malls and transport sector to general business firms – where none is getting respite despite various steps taken by the law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Earlier several organizations, especially the transport bodies, have called strike and other agitation programmes for several times protesting the extortion. Now, the city’s meat sellers have come forward with a six-day shutdown programme to get relief from it.
The meat sellers [mainly red meat traders] on Sunday announced that they will observe strike from Monday to Saturday to protest the “extortion and illegal taxes” in the cattle markets, particularly at Gabtoli. So, all meat shops in Dhaka city would remain closed from February 13 [Monday] till February 18 [Saturday]. The Bangladesh Meat Traders’ Association [Bangladesh Mangsho Byabshayi Samiti] and Dhaka Metropolitan Meat Sellers’ Association [Dhaka Metropolitan Mangsho Byabshayi Samiti] jointly announced the programme at an agitation programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
Describing the situation, President of Bangladesh Meat Traders’ Association Robiul Islam yesterday said: “The traders have to pay Tk 20,000 to Tk 30,000 per cattle for bringing it from bordering area to city’s cattle markets.”
“Besides, the corrupt officials are forcibly taking unsanctioned taxes from the cattle traders defying the government’s order. We’ve drew the attention of DNCC Mayor Annisul Haq over the issue for several times. Although the Mayor has directed the officials concerned to resolve the problem, the dishonest officials are not paying any heed to it,” he said.
He further said: “The price of meat is increasing day by day. And the meat traders are taking additional price from the customers’ pockets. The tax amount is fixed by the authorities, but the additional taxes are paid for the corrupt persons.”
In generally, the people have to face an embarrassing situation for abnormal price of meat in the markets. Usually, the meat market gets hot in the winter season [from November to January] due to picnic, marriage ceremony and other social programmes.
The extortion and illegal tax payment add some extra burden on the shoulder of customers. The price of mutton per kg was Tk 550 to Tk 650 just one month ago. Now it is sold at Tk 750 to Tk 800 per kg. The price of per kg beef and Buffalo meat was Tk 460-470.
Red meat traders categorically said that they would go for indefinite strike if their demands are not meet.
In fact, the extortion is going unbridled in each and every sector where the police are directly involved getting patronization from a section of ruling party leaders and activists.
Though unbelievable, the goods-laden vehicles from country’s 16 northern districts had observed strike for a couple of times recently protesting the extortion by the law enforcers.
Only in footpath, extortion money worth Tk 50 crore is raised by the syndicates, said DSCC Mayor Syed Khokan. He also filed cases against 70 extortionists who are allegedly fueling discontent among the street hawkers.
Against this backdrop, the law enforcement and intelligence agencies have submitted reports to the government high-ups conducting separate investigations.
It was revealed in the investigation that a section of ruling party men, especially Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League, are mainly responsible for running the extortion business.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had also issued warning saying that the government will compel to take stern action against the “listed extortionists”. But no measure was taken till the day.
