Extortion in transport sector changes hand under Nirob-Saiful-Sadiqur

The associates of two leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), both named Saiful Alam, now collect extortion at the Mohakhali bus terminal in Dhaka. Around Tk 1 million is collected daily alone from this terminal.

One of them is the former convener of Dhaka North city BNP Saiful Alam Nirob and the other is Cumilla district (north) BNP joint convener Saiful Alam.

Sources in the transport sector say Cumilla BNP leader Saiful Alam took control of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association following the regime change. He has formed a convening committee to take control of the transport sector.

Meanwhile Dhaka north city BNP former leader Saiful Alam Nirob has established sole control in Mohakhali bus terminal, Tejgaon truck terminal, Tejgaon industrial area and in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area of the city. Associates of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan used to control these areas. The former minister went into hiding after 5 August. There are reports that he was spotted in India.

Sources in Tejgaon Truck terminal say following the regime change Saiful Alam and his aides took over two shops, three restaurants and a toilet in the terminal. The workers have to pay Tk 15 for a bath, Tk 10 for defecation and Tk 5 for urination. Workers leader Talukder Monir controlled the Tejgaon Terminal for a long time. He would introduce himself as the adopted son of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. He became an associate of Nirob.

Relevant sources say Nirob took control of the fish market in the capital’s Karwan Bazar through a top leader of the local Jubo Dal unit. He is now exerting pressure to ensure his people are made the president of all mosques in the Tejgaon area of the capital. There is also an allegation against the associates of Nirob of forcefully occupying a house owned by a Jubo League leader in Begunbari of the capital.

The RHD headquarters and the second most important office of the agency are located in the capital’s Tejgaon area. The agency’s former additional chief engineer in Dhaka zone, Sabuj Uddin Khan was known to be the right hand of former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader. He went to the office after 5 August and faced resistance from the employees. After that, he didn’t attend the office for more than a week.

However, he started office again later. There are talks within the RHD that he negotiated with Saiful Islam Nirob for his job. But, Sabuj was transferred to another project later by the interim government.

Saiful Islam Nirob is also accused of lobbying with RHD engineers for the return of 47 contractors who were blacklisted on allegations of forgery, sources say.

A reliable RHD official told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that Saiful Alam is putting pressure to give the RHD contracts to the local leaders of the BNP and its associated bodies. He even met chief RHD engineer Syed Mainul Hossain for this.

Speaking regarding the allegation to Prothom Alo, Saiful Alam Nirob said the local leaders of Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) want to do business. It was them who went to the RHD officials. He only told him (Syed Mainul Hossain) to give them the works if it is possible. He has no intention to save any official outside this.

One has to pay to enter or exit the Mohakhali Terminal. Even extortions are collected from buses that pass through the road in front of the terminal. The buses have to pay extortion if it picks up passengers in front of the terminal or adjacent areas. Apart from that, companies have to pay extortion for inclusion of new buses.

Extortions of nearly Tk 1.05 million were collected daily in the name of owners and workers union during the 15-year-rule of Awami League. The system is still in effect.

Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation senior vice-president Sadiqur Rahman Hiru has been controlling this extortion business for a long time. He is also the president of Mohakhali Bus Terminal Workers Union. He would introduce himself as a close associate of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

According to the sources at Mohakhali bus terminal and transport sector the pro-Awami League leaders went into hiding following the fall of the Awami League government.

However, Sadiqur Rahman has mingled with the new pro-BNP transport leaders. BNP leader Saiful Islam Nirob assured him that no cases would be filed against him. However, Sadiqur Rahman was sidelined to some extent when his presence drew criticisms.

Sources said at least 1,000 buses are operated from the Mohakhli bus terminal every day and another 500 buses on the adjacent areas. The destination of the buses are various northern districts, Mymensing and Sylhet regions.

Ekota Paribahan, Ena Paribahan and Shoukhin Paribahan have the highest number of buses. However, Ena Paribahan has not been operating since the change in the government, and many buses of this company are currently operated under United Paribahan on Dhaka-Mymensing route.

Sadiqur Rahman is a worker leader, but he had been operating 60-65 busses of various companies including Ena Paribahan, Shoukhin Paribahan, Ekota Paribahan, Sonal Bangla, Shahjalal Paribahan, Rajib Paribahan, Shaymoli Bangla Paribahan and Binimoy Paribahan. He did not own these vehicles rather he introduced these buses as owned by the family members of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

Images of Sadiqur Rahman with the former home ministers are making rounds among transport owners and workers. Currently, transport leaders Saiful Alam and Saiful Alam Nirob control these buses that once were in Sadiqur Rahman’s grip.

Sadiqur Rahman could not be reached for comment.

However, Dhaka Road Transport Owners’ Association convener Saiful Alam said they are yet to take control over everywhere and they are trying to stop extortion.

He said Nirob is involved in bus business. He has been away from it for sometimes. Now he will be involved in the business again. That should not be a problem at all.

This report appeared in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu