The work on Hatikumrul Highway Interchange in Sirajganj is underway. After demolishing the old traditional roundabout for the interchange, three new bus stands have been built around it. On the east side of the roundabout is the Pabna bus stand on the Dhaka-Pabna highway, on the west side is the Rajshahi-Natore bus stand for Dhaka-Rajshahi, and on the north side of the roundabout is the Dhaka-Bogra bus stand for Dhaka-Bogra highway. Among these, the Dhaka-Bogra bus stand is known as the most practical bus stand.
This is one of the bus stoppages for long-distance transport of people from 22 districts to Dhaka. Transport from 22 districts including Pabna-Natore, Rajshahi, Bogra, etc., goes around the roundabout and picks up and drops off passengers at the Dhaka-Bogra bus stand.
Every day, about ten to fifteen thousand people gather and get on at this stoppage.And a powerful extortion ring has recently formed around this new, busiest bus stand. After the demolition of the old roundabout, a few lead donor ring members are using some local youths from Radhanagar, Dhopakandi, Chakpara, Uttarpara and other areas to extort money and are embezzling lakhs of taka.
According to local people and transport workers, the ring has about 50 to 60 members. It is known that the extortion members have to pay 500 to 1,000 taka for picking up passengers on the long-distance buses departing from North Bengal bound for Dhaka and Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Sylhet, and Cox's Bazar. If two to three passengers are picked up, they have to pay 50, 100, 200 taka.
There is their own force to collect the extortion money. Several young men come forward as chainmasters while picking up and dropping off passengers. If they refuse to pay, they are not allowed to pick up passengers. Ordinary passengers suffer due to this. As a result, they have to reach their destinations at an increased fare.
Although a handful of chain masters have been appointed to maintain serials and check vehicles under the Sirajganj, Bogra, Pabna, and Rajshahi Bus Owners' Associations,most of the people at the bus stand are using the names of chain masters and transport workers to collect illegal donations.
The key to distributing and controlling the donation money is in the hands of a few influential local people. Among them are Alauddin Mandal (45) of Radhanagar area, Hatikumrul Union Sechchhasebak Dal leader Abdul Latif (35), Abdul Latif (45), son of Korman Ali of Charia Shikar Uttar Para area, Moslem Uddin (40), and Mujauddin's son Zahurul Islam (40), Abdul Momin (35) and Sakawat of Chakpara area and several others.
Many locals, checkers, transport workers and serial maintainers who do not want to be named said that after the demolition of the Sirajganj Road roundabout, new bus stands and counters have been built in the Radhanagar area. Taking this opportunity, Alauddin of Radhanagar area and Hatikumrul Union Secchasevak Dal senior joint convener Abdul Latif formed an association. Later, Alauddin, Latif, Latif of Uttarpara, Jahurul, Momin, Sakawat along with the rest of the members are collecting a collection from the bus per vehicle. From here, whenever a passenger is picked up in a vehicle, their people come and stand and take 500 to 1000 taka per vehicle if the vehicle is full. And even if they pick up two or three passengers, they have to pay 50 to 100 taka. Later, all the money is collected in one place and at the end of the day, they are divided according to the level. A large part of this money is also kept for managing local leaders, activists, police and journalists.
Because of them, even the designated people of the bus owners' association cannot go near the vehicle. Whenever they go, they are harassed by some young boys from their area. Even the counter masters and checkers are not spared from their hands. If they say anything, they are chased away from the bus stand. They even take money from every counter. Many people who do not want to be named complain that no one is allowed to pick up passengers from here unless they pay. They also said that we have become a kind of hostage. Even if we reveal our names, the problem is that we will not be able to go to the bus stand the next day. So we keep quiet.
They are leaving money in the car as much as they can, and if they do not pay, they are not allowed to pick up passengers from the road. All this should be stopped, if it continues like this, they will have to pay half of the fare.
In this regard, Abdul Latif said, we do not extort, we maintain serials, when there is traffic jam on the highway, the boys here go to assist the police during traffic jams. Another lead donor, Alauddin, did not answer his phone even after calling his mobile phone several times.
Hatikumrul Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ismail Hossain said that he did not know about the extortion, but necessary action will be taken after investigating the matter.
Salanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Imam Zafar said that if any specific person is harassed or if anyone files a complaint, we will definitely take action.
Raiganj Circle Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Md. Saiful Islam Khan said that legal action will be taken after investigating the information of those who are extorting.
Highway Bogra Zone Superintendent of Police Md. Shahidullah said that the Highway Police is always active to stop extortion on the highway. I will take necessary action to stop extortion.
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