After getting the directive from the government, law enforcement agencies have started conducting drives against extortionists in the capital Dhaka in a bid to arrest the price of essential commodities.
During a series of meeting between the traders and authorities concerned, traders have marked the extortion in transport sector as the key obstacle for not arresting the price of commodities.
General people have been feeling the pinch as the price of commodities goes up every often.
After identifying the root-cause, the policymakers decided to take stern action against extortionists in the capital.
Following the instruction, the anti-crime elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) conducted its special drive on early Sunday and arrested 51 persons from different areas of the capital for collecting toll from goods or vegetable-laden vehicles on roads and highways.
RAB Director (Legal and Media Wing) Commander Khandaker Al Moin disclosed this to the media at a press conference at the RAB media centre at Karwan Bazar in the capital Dhaka.
He said, separate joint teams of RAB-2 and RAB-3 conducted raids in various areas, including Kawran Bazar, Babubazar, Gulistan, Dainik Bangla Mor, Ittefaq Mor, TT Para, Kajla, Gabtali and Demra Staff Quarters and arrested the extortionists.
Cash of Tk 1.12 lakh, one laser beam light, six jackets of different organizations, two other types of lights, four Identity cards (ID-cards),
41 mobiles and receipt-book were recovered from their possession.
During preliminary interrogation, the RAB said the arrestees disclosed secret information regarding their involvement in extortion.
The arrestees were later handed over to the police stations concerned.
RAB said, during the primary interrogation, the arrestees admitted their involvement of extortion on various roads, highways of the capital and its adjacent areas for a long time.
RAB Director said they (extortionists) used to be divided into several groups under the directive of the so-called leaseholder and became active on the streets of different areas every night.
When goods-laden trucks enter into the capital from different parts of the country, they stop the vehicles using laser lights and sticks.
“They used to force drivers to pay toll. In some cases, they also provide money receipts for collection of payment,” he said.
“If the drivers refuse to pay the amount, they vandalize their vehicles, beat them up and threaten them to kill. This is how they have been collecting toll from every truck and cargo vehicles entering Dhaka,” he added.
The extortionist used to collect Tk 200-300 from every truck and deposited the amount to the leaseholder.
RAB said the leaseholder only pays Tk 600 to Tk 700 per night to each extortionist.
Of the arrestees, Salim along with his cohorts Hanif, Manik, Saddam and Raja were involved in extortion in Sayedabad areas while Sumon and his associates Rajib, Bablu, Falan and Zahid were collecting toll from Golapbagh area for the last six years.
Kawser along with his gang members Masud, Shamim and Iman used to take toll from cargo vehicles in Kajla area while Javed, Abul Hossain, Arif, Billal, Ali Hossain and Sajib were active at Demra Staff Quarter.
Akhtar, Faruk, Billal, Rakib, Zamir, Abir, Shamsul and Mohsin took toll from Gulistan and Babu Bazar areas.
Zahir, Sohail, Tamjid, Shafiq, Kashem and Saddam used to collect toll from Kawran Bazar while Salahuddin, Kabir, Afzal, Oli, Atiur, Yunus and Entaj were active at Gabtali bus stand for a long time and Saddam, Shahidul, Sajib, Abdur Rahman were at Kallyanpur bus stand.