Decision made to prevent extortion on highways

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said a decision was reached by several ministries to stop illegal extortion in the name of highway toll collections.

While briefing reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting, he said the home ministry was also looking into the matter, adding that the LGRD ministry would send the list of toll booths across the country to the home ministry.

He also stated that all sorts of multi-faceted extortions must be stopped, regardless of how influential their political affiliation was.

Asked about the ongoing CNG-run auto-rickshaw strike, he said that the owners cannot take more than Tk 900 from their drivers as daily income.

Police would continue overseeing whether drivers were hiking fares or parking erratically or not, Obaidul added.

A court order has stated that 5000 new auto-rickshaws be granted licence, but Quader's ministry has sought opinion from the home ministry in that regard.

He has also ordered Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to expedite the issuing of transportation vehicle stickers for those who paid their registration and fitness bills, but has yet to receive those stickers.

The police have also been instructed not to check for vehicle papers when they will see the stickers on the top-left side of the cars.

Regarding the draft road transport act, the minister said that opinions of all the relevant stakeholders are being taken.

A workshop will be held next month, where everyone's opinion will be taken under consideration and a unanimous decision could be reached.

As for the illegal extension chassis of truck and covered vans, the current law regarding this is set to be amended by a ministerial committee, led by LGRD State Minister Moshiur Rahman Ranga.

Quader inaugurated a BRTC-bus for women and students from Mirpur's Shewrapara to Banani's MES bus-stand, and assured that more routes would be added in the near future.

Among others, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan and LGRD State Minister Moshiur Rahman Ranga were present in the meeting.