Extortion rampant
Collection of illegal toll from the drivers of imported goods-laden vehicles from India and Bhutan has become an open secret at Burimari Land Port in Patgram upazila under the district.
A six-member syndicate recruited by the Convener of Clearing and Forwarding Agents' Association is engaged in collecting the illegal toll in the name of association's welfare fund, alleged the stakeholders.
On an average, 400 trucks loaded with imported goods, mainly stones, from India and Bhutan enter into Bangladesh through the land port every day and illegal toll Tk 350 to Tk 450 is collected from each.
“We have to pay the illegal toll to the syndicate members to avoid harassment here,” said Ramprasad Singh, a driver of an imported goods-loaded truck from India.
“If we decline to pay the illegal toll we face a lengthy and time wasting process for unloading the goods,” said Khirodnath Das, another Indian truck driver at the land port.
“Illegal toll of Tk 350 is realised against a six-wheel truck and Tk 450 against a ten-wheel truck at the land port. It has continued for long, but we dare not protest against the malpractice in a foreign land,” said Nandolal Singha, another India truck driver.
Saberul Islam, a Bangladeshi truck driver from Bogura, said he never pays illegal toll in Indian side when he goes there for delivering export goods whereas illegal toll collection is a common affair in Bangladesh side.
Asadul Islam, a member of the illegal toll collectors' syndicate, said, “We never force any driver to pay the toll money. They pay it willingly for prompt service to complete unloading of goods. We deposit the collected amount to the C & F Agents' Association.”
Another syndicate member Swadhin Islam said, “Customs officials and C & F Agents' Association authority know the matter well. We are just employees working for daily-basis payment.”
Asked about the mater, Ruhul Amin Babul, convener of C & F Agents' Association, said, “Due to shortage of customs officials, I have recruited some people here for helping drivers to complete the official work related to unloading of goods in time.”
“For this service, drivers make gifts of small amounts to the recruited people but it is not illegal toll,” said Babul, also chairman of Patgram Upazila Parishad, and upazila unit secretary of Awami League.
Contacted, Assistant Commissioner of Customs at Burimari Land Port AKM Khairul Bashar said there no shortage of customs officials at the land port and he is not aware about the syndicate.
“We never allow anybody to check papers or collect illegal toll from foreign drivers. I will arrange vigilance and take prompt step against illegal toll collection here,” he said.
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