Leaders call for saving transport sector from extortion

The leaders of Bangladesh Auto-Rickshaw Auto-Tempo Transport Workers’ Federation (BAATWF) on Friday urged the government to save the transport sector from ‘extortion by police and political leaders’, reports UNB.

They came up with the call at a discussion at the National Press Club.

They also urged the government to stop corruption and harassment by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) officials while issuing license and providing other documents .

General secretary of BAATWF Md Golam Faruque said the government has to stop extortion and corruption for the sake of the development of transport sector.

“We face harassment by traffic police in the name of checking at police check posts. So it must be stopped soon,” he added.

Faruque also said that some sections of the Road Transport Act-2018 goes against the interest of workers and it should be cancelled.

“The government should take proper initiative to train up drivers for improving skills. Besides, the drivers should be given appointment letter,” he added.

Addressing the programme, Workers Party (WP) president Rashed Khan Menon said working people of the country are being harassed here in many ways.

“There are allegations against BRTA officials that they allow unfit vehicles to ply the streets taking bribe. Many road accidents occur due to unfit vehicles. Besides, long time duty of drivers is also a reason behind road accidents,” he said.

Ex BNP MP Shah Muhammad Abu Zafar, former MP and leader of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal Nazmul Haque Prodhan, spoke, among others, at the event.