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Editorial

Highway extortion out of grip

Who will safeguard public welfare?


Bangladeshpost
Published : 22 Nov 2019 08:40 PM | Updated : 05 Sep 2020 08:58 AM

Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim’s allegation that unscrupulous members of transport sector are extorting money from highway bound. Of late, while speaking at a seminar at the National Press Club, Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim blamed extortion in transport sector for the unexpected price hike of essential commodities.

It is said that a section of transport leaders are engaged in realising huge amounts of taka every day in the name of different organisations of transport workers and owners.  We are told that a transport owner has to pay Tk 7,000 to Tk 8,000 for a trip from Dhaka to Panchagarh as illegal money. In Dhaka, each bus owner has to pay Tk 600 to Tk 1,200 and a human haulier has to pay Tk 600 to 800 as extortion money in the capital every day.


The situation demands an integrated 

strategy to be undertaken against such crimes.


However, as the cases of extortion are on the rise in the city and elsewhere, the situation demands an integrated strategy to be undertaken by the government against such crimes.  Highway extortion is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh. Moreover, there has even been talk about legalising extortion in the transport sector in a bid to control how much each transport may pay nationwide. But the issue comes into attention only in Ramadan or when the price of daily commodities fluctuates at rapid pace.

It needs no emphasizing that without proper steps from the government this trend of highway extortion will continue without any hindrance. At the end of the day, it is the general public who have to bear the costs of these “extra” fees that are levied on transports.

Considering the situation, the government needs to streamline the policy in no time. Authorities concerned must realise that any further delay in this regard may lead to a chaotic situation.  Relevant authorities must order competent and credible inquiry of the extortion cases and have the responsible individuals prosecuted and punished to set examples.