Sylhet Correspondent :
Illegal toll collection from the trucks transporting essential commodities has increased on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway recently.
A section of people under the banner of different trade unions and some dishonest highway police officials are involved with collecting tolls. The truck drivers alleged that the members of the trade organizations and highway police forced them to pay toll ranging from TK 10 to 100 at several points on Dhaka-Sylhet road on every trip.
“We cannot deny paying the amount as they are influential men of the areas and can force us not to drive truck on the road anytime. Not only that the highway police harass us in different ways like filing of cases and seizing the truck if we deny paying the toll amount,” said truck driver Faruque Ali.
According to the locals, several hundred trucks ply on Dhaka-Sylhet road everyday for transporting brick, firewood, wood, teak, bamboo, vegetables and other goods from Sylhet, Sunamgonj, Jaflong, Jointa, Companigong areas.
Sources said the highway police of Telibazar setting up check-post near Tatly realize the toll from each of the goods laden truck. Besides, the highway police collect handsome amount of toll from different motorized vehicles including bus and auto-rickshaws especially those have no fitness and registration.
On the other hand, a section of people under the banner of Sylhet Inter-district Workers Union have long been collecting tolls from each truck plying on Dhaka-Sylhet road from morning to midnight by setting up a makeshift toll collection booth at Kadomtoli Point of Dakshin Surma Upazila. The truck drivers claimed the toll collectors realized Taka 10 to 50 from each truck against per trip in the name of labor welfare.
General Secretary of branch of Inter-district Workers Union said they realize the toll and send the amount to the office of the organization at Dakshin Surma Upazila.
Illegal toll collection from the trucks transporting essential commodities has increased on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway recently.
A section of people under the banner of different trade unions and some dishonest highway police officials are involved with collecting tolls. The truck drivers alleged that the members of the trade organizations and highway police forced them to pay toll ranging from TK 10 to 100 at several points on Dhaka-Sylhet road on every trip.
“We cannot deny paying the amount as they are influential men of the areas and can force us not to drive truck on the road anytime. Not only that the highway police harass us in different ways like filing of cases and seizing the truck if we deny paying the toll amount,” said truck driver Faruque Ali.
According to the locals, several hundred trucks ply on Dhaka-Sylhet road everyday for transporting brick, firewood, wood, teak, bamboo, vegetables and other goods from Sylhet, Sunamgonj, Jaflong, Jointa, Companigong areas.
Sources said the highway police of Telibazar setting up check-post near Tatly realize the toll from each of the goods laden truck. Besides, the highway police collect handsome amount of toll from different motorized vehicles including bus and auto-rickshaws especially those have no fitness and registration.
On the other hand, a section of people under the banner of Sylhet Inter-district Workers Union have long been collecting tolls from each truck plying on Dhaka-Sylhet road from morning to midnight by setting up a makeshift toll collection booth at Kadomtoli Point of Dakshin Surma Upazila. The truck drivers claimed the toll collectors realized Taka 10 to 50 from each truck against per trip in the name of labor welfare.
General Secretary of branch of Inter-district Workers Union said they realize the toll and send the amount to the office of the organization at Dakshin Surma Upazila.
