The Coordination Council of the owners and workers of Bangladesh truck, covered van, tank lorry and prime mover Saturday threatened to go for a movement if their demand for stopping extortion by police and hired goons of city corporations is met immediately.
The Council at a meeting presided over by its convenor Rustam Ali Khan was attended by former minister and president of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation Shahjahan Khan as chief guest, while secretary general of Bangladesh Sarak Parobahan Malik Samity Khandakar Enayet Ullah was present as the special guest.
Speakers at the meeting expressed their grievances for the death of truck driver Liton in police custody and said the statement by police that he committed suicide is not acceptable to them. They demanded probe into the incident and punishment to the persons involved in the murder.
The meeting also noted with concern that the BRTA secretly raised the income tax on vehicles without any consultation with the transport owners and workers. The Council demand immediate withdrawal of the increased income tax.
The Council also noted with concern that the BRTA stopped issuing driving licenses to the driver for the past two years, which forced them to drive with a slip issued by the BRTA. But they are often subjected to police case and harassment while driving with the slips, the meeting said, demanding resumption of the issuance licenses immediately.
The Council observed that the government stopped realizing service charge from the transport organizations, but allowed extortion through leasing out the system. The Dhaka north and south city corporations, as well as other city corporation have been realizing tolls from vehicles transporting goods through hired goons on roads and highways.
The meeting demanded immediate end to this extortion and threatened to go for greater movement if the anarchy in transport sector goes on.
