Buriganga Bridge-1: A day after protest, no toll collected

Toll collection at the First Bangladesh-China Friendship (Buriganga 1) Bridge remained suspended yesterday, a day after a clash over toll hike left a person dead and scores of others injured.

Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials said vehicles would not have to pay toll for using the bridge until a decision was reached.

However, transport workers said they would not accept any decision except cancellation of the toll collection and threatened a tougher movement if their demand was not met.

“We aren't observing any programme today. But we will go back to the street if they start collecting toll again,” Tajul Islam, president of Bangladesh Inter District Truck Drivers' Union, said yesterday.

Talking to The Daily Star, Khorshed Alam, the lessee of the bridge, said they were not collecting toll for the time being on instruction from the RHD.

 Md Amanullah, superintendent engineer of RHD (Narayanganj circle), said, they sent a report to the RHD headquarters describing the situation on the ground and seeking directive on the next course of action.

Sohel Hawlader, 25, a truck helper, was killed after police opened fire during a clash with transport workers and locals protesting hike in toll for the bridge in Dhaka's Hasnabad on Friday. Over 100 others were injured during the clash.

Visiting the area yesterday, this correspondent found the situation was still tense.

Policemen were deployed near the toll booth and vehicles were allowed to use the bridge without paying toll. The presence of vehicles was also thin.

Talking with this correspondent, several truck drivers claimed they had been protesting since 2016 demanding cancellation of the “high toll rates”. However, the authorities did not take any action. Rather, they introduced a higher rate, they said.

Meanwhile, police sources said criminals attacked police and hit a nearby Ansar camp with a truck during the clash.

Preparation was underway to file cases on charges of killing a transport worker, attack on police, government establishments and creating obstruction to government work, the sources added.

No case was filed in this connection till 8:00pm yesterday.

Ramanando Sarker, additional superintendent of police (Keraniganj circle), told The Daily Star the situation was under control and additional policemen were deployed to avert any untoward situation.

They were yet to identify the reason behind the killing of the transport worker, he said, adding that steps were being taken to identify and arrest those responsible.

Meanwhile, the man, who was seen in a viral photo holding a gun and running along policemen during Friday's clash, was identified as Ebadad, a constable working for Dhaka district police.

He claimed some criminals took away his uniform showing him knives.

Ebadad got injured in the clash and was being treated at Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh, said Ramanando.

Meanwhile, Osman Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, at a rally in the city demanded proper investigation into Friday's incident and punishment to those responsible for the killing of the transport worker.