Staff Reporter :
Extortion by armed goons has become a cause of serious concern for the drivers and helpers of the goods-laden trucks across the country, owners and workers of Dhaka District Truck, Tank, Lori and Covered Van Union said on Saturday.
They said they armed criminals are everywhere – on the highways, river bridges and at ferry terminals — and there is no way to pass through them without paying tolls.
“We are helpless. Identified armed goons introducing themselves as local political activists are extorting tolls from our drivers at gun point everyday, it is very difficult to run our goods-laden trucks,” said Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, President of the Union at a human chain in front of the National Press Club.
He said the extortionists (musclemen, thugs, political criminals and also police) prey on the goods-laden trucks at different points on the highways – as well as on either side of river bridges and at ferry terminals.
“Even the extortionists are killing our drivers and helpers. Simultaneously, the armed goons are also looting our goods from the trucks while these transports are on the way to capital from different places of the country,” Iqbal said.
Owners, drivers and helpers of the goods-laden truck alleged that on several occasions they informed the local police as well as the authority concerned to take action against the identified armed extortionists but they remained silent, reasons best known to them. They said crores of taka are being extorted from goods-laden trucks on the all national highways every day, under the guise of political activists.
Apart from armed terrorists, goods-laden truck owners complained that they have also to pay money to various other types of extortionists on the highways, from politicos and law enforcers.
