Stop 'extortion by tampering weighing scale'
Transport business owners yesterday demanded that the authorities concerned take measures to stop “realising extortion” by "tampering weighing scale" in Axle Load Control Station on Chittagong-Dhaka Highway in Bara Darogar Hat area of Sitakunda upazila.
They made the demand at a press conference organised by the Chittagong Transport Business Owners' Association at Chittagong Press Club.
Speaking at the conference, Nurul Absar, president of the association, warned of going for an indefinite strike if their demand is not met.
Saiful Islam, general secretary of the association, alleged that the scale of the station has been “tampered”; as a result, even though a truck or covered van carries goods within the limit of the approved weight, the scale shows the vehicle carrying goods beyond the permissible limit.
For instance, a truck carries 12 tonnes of goods but the scale at Darogarhat shows it is carrying 14 tonnes. Interestingly, the scale in Daudkandi shows the actual weight, he said.
On this ground, the staff of the Darogarhat station realise Tk 5,000 to Tk 10,000 from each vehicle, he said, adding, “They (the staff) even do not provide any receipt against the money.”
“We have been incurring losses for this,” he said, adding, “We have informed the administration several times to fix it but in vain.”
On Saturday morning, transport workers went berserk at Axle Load Control Station at Bara Darogar Hat, protesting a driver being “beaten up” by a staff of the station.
The angry workers also put barricade on Chittagong-Dhaka Highway in the area triggering a tailback of around 25 kilometres from Bhatiari union of Sitakunda to Bariar Hat area of Mirasari upazila in Chittagong from 10:30am to 1:30pm, said eye witnesses.
The incident ensued when the staff of the Axle Load Control Station, an institution of Roads and Highway Department (RHD) and operated by a private organisation, allegedly beat up a truck driver Humayun Kabir over “realising extortion”.
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