Aiming to prevent highway extortions and criminal activities, law-enforcers are on a standby to launch a series of immediate crackdowns across the country, said sources in the Home Ministry. A high official of the ministry told Bangladesh Post on Thursday that a series of actions are going to be initiated across the highways immediately against all type of crimes such as extortion, hijacking and carrying illegal drugs.
The initiatives have been planned in the wake of the government's decision to ensure safer and smoother journeys as well as for the welfare of the passengers and goods, said an official. The directives came from a home ministry meeting recently. High-officials from the home ministry, different law enforcement agencies, including highway and traffic police, and the local administrations.
According to sources, personnel from different law enforcement agencies already have been directed to take necessary measures in this regard. Besides, local police and administrations have also been directed to join hands with law enforcement agencies. Armed goons introducing themselves as leaders and activists of different transport organisations or political parties are allegedly realizing extortion money mostly from passenger buses and lorries carrying goods on highways.
Officials concerned said, rampant extortions on roads and highways have appeared to be the main reasons behind the anarchies in the transportation sector and thousands of crores of taka are collected from this sector every year. This huge amount of illegal money is shared among influential people in the power structure from top to bottom, the official said.
Earlier, the High Court issued order to the government, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and the police asking to stop highway extortion, collection of illegal toll money from transports on roads passing through cities, municipalities and upazila towns. But, the authorities concerned is found to remain reluctant to take actions against extortions, which is plaguing the entire public transport sector.
Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, two separate agencies collected intelligence reports and prepared two separate lists containing names of extortionists active on the roads and higways. “Those agencies concerned have already submitted their respective lists to the police headquarters,” said the Home Minister.
As per the government high command’s directives, nobody either in the ruling Awami League or in other parties, will be spared if found involved with any offensive activities. As the government is proceeding with its ‘zero tolerance’ policy against corruption, extortionists, tender manipulators, drug peddling and other criminal acts, the drives against the criminals will not remain confined to the capital, rather it would be expanded throughout the country.
Meanwhile, Minister for Road, Transport and Bridges, Obaidul Quader, also the General Secretary of ruling Awami League, on Thursday said, “The ruling Awami League government started the cleansing operations by launching the cleansing drives in its own organization and it shall continue.” Obaidul Quader made the remarks while talking to journalists at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.