Stop extortion by traffic police, demand truckers

13 May 2009, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Truck owners and workers bring out a procession in Barisal city yesterday demanding an end to extortion by traffic police. Photo: Banglar ChokhPhoto: STAR

Truck owners and workers in the city yesterday blocked Barisal-Dhaka highway and brought out a procession wielding shoes and brooms protesting harassment and extortion by traffic police. After handing over a memorandum to district civil and police administrations demanding immediate withdrawal of traffic police Inspector Abdul Jalil from duty and stoppage of illegal toll collection, the agitators brought out a truck procession with shoes and brooms. Nathullabad entrance point of Barisal-Dhaka highway remained blocked during the programmes jointly organised by Truck Sramik Union and Truck Malik Samity, associations of truck labourers and owners. Inspector Abdul Jalil on Tuesday allegedly harassed Md Yusuf, member of both the associations, as he became 'defaulter' in paying illegal tolls. Leaders of the two associations said extortion by traffic police is going on unabated even after informing the higher authorities of the matter and publication of several reports in the media. They said traffic police make target of harassment the truck owners who fail to meet the demand for Tk 4000 as monthly toll per truck. Asked about the allegation of harassing Md Yusuf, Inspector Abdul Jalil said Yusuf became agitated when a case was lodged against him for not having valid documents for transport and driving. Kazi Mortaz Ahmed, deputy commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police, said he will investigate the allegations.