PM paid toll, mayor didn't

Dhaka South City Corporation on Tuesday had issued a letter to the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover authorities, asking them to make sure the flyover is made toll-free for newly elected mayor Sayeed Khokon.

The letter was issued hours after Khokon along with a convoy of vehicles refused to pay the toll while travelling on the flyover around 11:55am that day.

An altercation ensued between the mayor's men and the flyover staff at a toll plaza at the Postogola end.

In the face of abusive words and threats by the mayor's men, the flyover staff, at one stage, had to let the convoy go, said city corporation sources.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while inaugurating the flyover on October 11, 2013, paid toll for her car, saying all would have to pay toll for using the flyover.

However, the city corporation authorities, on the mayor's instruction, on Wednesday issued another letter retracting their earlier letter, sources at the city corporation said.

Terming the incident “trivial”, Sayeed Khokon on Wednesday told The Daily Star, “The accompanying boys started shouting at the flyover staffs, as they [flyover staff] stopped my car though they had allowed the security vehicle to go toll-free.”

“They should naturally entertain the city corporation that has a co-ownership of the flyover,” he said.

Regarding the issuance of a letter that seeks the mayor a toll-free ride on the flyover, Khokon said, “I have no knowledge of this.”

The Daily Star has obtained copies of both the letters. Those were issued and distributed to the flyover's private authorities, city corporation chief executive, chief revenue officer and the private secretary to the mayor the same day.

Superintendent Engineer of Dhaka South City Corporation and also Project Director of the flyover, Ashiqur Rahman, who issued the letters, refused to comment on the matter.