Rule-breakers backed

Despite being a cabinet minister and a senior leader of ruling Awami League, Shajahan Khan is putting all his weight on protecting the interest of road transport sector trade unions, to the extent of going against the law and locking horns with the communications ministry.
Shipping Minister Shajahan's role became exposed in the recent outrage over his recommendation for issuing driving licences to 28,000 transport workers without proper tests.
The minister, who was elected to the parliament from Madaripur, himself does not deny his tilt towards the unions.
"The ministry is my first priority since the prime minister gave me the portfolio," said Shajahan while talking to The Daily Star yesterday, "but trade unionism has become part of my blood. I have been involved in this for 40 years."
Senior officials of the communications ministry said they now look at him as a major barrier to bringing discipline to the road transport sector as he always sides with demands of the unions whether the demands are justified or not.
They said because of him the ministries of communications and home could not take action against errant drivers and helpers. His recent remarks and stances have put the communications minister and himself in a feuding situation, they added.
Shajahan is also criticised for not minding the affairs of his own ministry which has many unfulfilled public commitments like evicting encroachers from rivers, improving navigability of the rivers, and ensuring safe river travel.
He however claimed that he is a successful shipping minister because, in his words, three new dredgers were purchased under his watch, dredging of the Karnaphuli river already started, he successfully handled workers' unrest at Chittagong Port, turned Mongla Port into a profitable concern, and started the process of reclaiming the rivers although it still has a long way to go.
While Shajahan flatly denies instigating workers and owners to implement road transport strikes, officials allege that the workers do not budge an inch without his consent. Shajahan said in recent times he convinced the road transport union leaders to withdraw two strikes.
He is the executive president of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation -- a federation of all road transport workers' unions across the country. The federation has 30 lakh members. Observers say Shajahan feels a certain amount of immunity from repercussions for things he does and says, because of such a large number of followers.
Following some recent sensational road accidents, he became very vocal defending public and commercial transport drivers and helpers. In the wake of mass opinion against reckless driving, the shipping minister blamed the media for "misleading the people".
Talking to The Daily Star he said he has serious reservation about calling a driver a killer. "A killer is the one who intentionally murders people, but our drivers don't even kill an animal intentionally."
He said accidents occur everywhere across the world and that "There are many reasons for an accident. The drivers are not solely responsible."
When pointed out that the communications ministry thought he did not cooperate with its moves to bring discipline to the road transport sector, the shipping minister claimed rather the communications ministry itself and the parliamentary standing committee concerned did not cooperate with him.
For instance, Shajahan's and the communications ministry's standpoints on fake licences, reckless driving, training of drivers, and removal of unfit vehicles from the roads are poles apart.
His federation is also seen as a big barrier to setting up weigh stations to check overloading of trucks on highways.
Overloading of trucks is a major factor for damage of roads, but successive governments failed to check it for non-cooperation of the transport owners and related union leaders. Several weigh stations were closed down following pressure from them.
FACE OFF WITH COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER OVER 28,000 LICENCES
As the shipping minister went public about his recommendation for issuance of 28,000 licences for drivers without proper tests, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain yesterday said no licence will be issued without proper test as per the law.
"I consult with him [Shajahan] on such matters as a cabinet colleague. But I take my decisions and when necessary, I consult with the prime minister," Hossain said explaining his position. He added, to ensure road safety, public and commercial transport drivers must pass proper tests and get training before they start their profession.
The shipping minister on the other hand does not see violation of law in issuance of licences to the 28,000 drivers without any written test. He said all he asks of the ministry is a little flexibility in the examinations, where these drivers will be screened through oral and practical tests only.
"We placed a list of persons who have been driving vehicles for years, but don't have genuine licences," said Shajahan, adding that they may not have education but know everything about driving.
He said out of 15.86 lakh vehicles there are 7.32 lakh public and commercial transports like bus, truck and covered van. "Nine lakh licences are required for drivers of the vehicles, but we have 6,25,000."
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) had to issue 1.89 lakh professional driving licences for driving heavy vehicles without examinations between 1991 and 2008, due to influence of the shipping minister, said BRTA sources.
BRTA issued 10,000 licences without tests in 2009 as per a list provided by Shajahan's federation.
"Federation people are like mafia. We are helpless in front of them," a BRTA official said when asked how influential the federation leaders are.
The communications ministry also cannot take any decision regarding the road transport sector without the shipping minister, the ministry sources said.
Shajahan Khan claimed he always tell drivers to be cautious and not to drive recklessly. But there is no reflection of it on the ground. The reality is that the road transport union leaders, drivers, and helpers have held the country hostage as they always get away scot-free due to strong backing from Shajahan Khan.