Transport leaders blast MPs, cops

Transport leaders have taken it out on lawmakers and policemen, blaming them for what they are saying irregularities and graft in the sector.

Local lawmakers let Nasimon, Korimon and Bhotbhoti to ply on highway defying court order for popularity’s sake, said Khandaker Enayetullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Transport Owners Association.

He said, a group of local transport workers along with police are involved in extortion in transport sector.

Requesting Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, led by Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, not to collect tolls on highways, he said: "If you want toll, go to office."

He was addressing a biannual meeting of Bangladesh Transport Owners Association at Mahanagar Nattyamancha, Dhaka.

At the meeting transports' leaders come down heavily on different associations and police for extortion from passenger bus and good laden trucks around the country.

"We provide transports to government whenever it wants. But, police arbitrarily requisites our transports but doesn't pay a single penny for it," alleged Principal Kabir Ahmed, a transport leader of Comilla.

Another transport leader of Meherpur, Safuan Uddin Ahmed alleged that whenever a new traffic inspector joins, he seizes transports to make owners aware of his presence.

"Doesn't matter whether documents of transports are okay, as soon as traffic inspector takes office, he begins extortion with a new spirit," he said, adding such practice is going on for years.

Golam Nabi, another leader of truck owners’ association from Chittagong, alleged they are mostly harrassed by the police of Narayanganj.

"No good laden trucks can pass Narayanganj without bribing the police," said Nabi.