Staff Reporter :The government has a plan to construct a modern truck stand, and for that reason the authorities concerned are looking for a suitable land outside the capital city.Dhaka North City Corporation [DNCC] Mayor Annisul Huq disclosed this at a press conference at a city hotel in the city’s Karwan Bazar on Monday in the backdrop of Sunday’s police- transport workers clash centering the eviction of illegal truck stand at Tejgaon. The DNCC Mayor arranged the press conference apparently to clarify his stance over the eviction of Tejgaon truck stand which ultimately turned violent. Without mentioning anyone’s name, the Mayor directly pointed finger to some influential ruling party leaders for igniting the clash at Tejgaon truck stand. ‘The chaotic situation had occurred due to provocation of some influential leaders,’ he said. ‘A powerful syndicate is running narcotics racket at illegal truck stand in the city’s Tejgaon. They have also constructed illegal structures and allotted several shops to different individuals in exchange of money…Now their money flow is going to be stopped. And so, they pelted brickbats during Sunday’s eviction drive,’ he said expressing severe dissatisfaction. On Sunday, at least 20 persons were injured, of them one received bullet wounds, in a fierce clash between police and transport workers over eviction of Tejgaon truck stand. The clash erupted when DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq himself went to the spot to lead the eviction drive. But chanting slogans against the drive, several hundred transport workers resisted the eviction by burning tyres on the streets, pelting stones on the police and DNCC officials and vandalising several cars of different government and private organizations. At one stage, the Mayor was also confined for hours by the agitated transport workers.Issuing warning, the Mayor said: ‘They [attackers] will be given a good lesson. I urge the Home Minister and all the law enforcement agencies to catch the culprits. None will be spared. Those who are trying to flexing their muscles, it is in fact the strength of illegal money, which comes from drug business and extortion. When asked about the possibility of talks, he said: ‘With whom we will negotiate? No negotiation with the troublemakers…..It’s not the responsibility of City Corporation where the trucks would be parked. Rather, it’s a responsibility of truck owners.’ ‘The illegal grabbers are playing politics [game] with me. I didn’t make any reply to them. There were police, but they remained silent. We could take severe action, if we wanted. We know who have misinformed the transport workers. The streets of Tejgaon are almost clear now. I’ll not let anyone to grab roads in the name of truck parking. Nobody will be allowed to park vehicles on the street,’ he said.Assuring to build a new stand, the Mayor said “We will find out a new place for truck stand instead of parking trucks on the road for maintaining a clean Dhaka. Prime Minster and leaders of Awami League assigned me for this job. I’ll not bow down to any pressure and remove illegal occupants.”The DNCC authorities distributed a list of injured persons and vandalized vehicles in the press briefing. It said the attackers damaged seven vehicles. Besides, five DNCC men, including driver, helper and eviction workers, were injured in the clash. About some DNCC initiatives to reduce traffic jam, the Mayor said: ‘I’ve already sat with transport owners to find out a way to overcome the mismanagement in this sector. The owners have committed to bring down the number of transport companies to 5-7 from the present number 300. We will introduce 3000 new vehicles through them with the cooperation of City Corporation.’Answering a question, Annisul Huq said: ‘We have constructed a market spending Tk 331 crore where the traders of Karwan Bazar will be shifted. So, there will be no traffic jam at Karwan Bazar area. ‘We [DNCC] have removed 20,000 billboards in the meantime. All billboard will be removed by December 25. Besides, we are going to install 1000 more CCTV cameras at Gulshan and Baridhara by June next year,’ he said when asked about the security arrangement.
