People allege harassment in the name of police checking

Staff Reporter :
The passengers and vehicles bound for the capital and beyond Dhaka on Thursday had experienced police searches at different entry points in and around the city, causing sufferings and harassment to people in the name of checking.
Passengers alleged that they were asked to get off the vehicles for checking the buses and the passengers thoroughly including their bag and baggage as well as purpose of their travelling and destination.
Police installed the check posts at the strategic points around the capital, saying that they want to thwart any kind of mishaps during and ahead of the BNP rally in the capital scheduled on December 10.
The check posts were also laid on Dhaka-Aricha Highway and Dhaka-Sylhet Highway, Dhaka-Chattogram Highway to bring the entire country under search in a bid to avert any kind of mishaps ahead of the BNP’s scheduled rally.
Even check posts were set in Narayanganj, Narshingdi, Gazipur and Savar, to deduct the number of buses in the streets.
Following such checking, the number of vehicles and transports fell in the capital since Thursday morning and even many of the long route buses were lying idle at Gabtoli bus terminal.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association on Thursday said that the vehicular movement in the capital, suburb and inter-district routes would remain normal on December 10.
Association General Secretary Khandakar Enayet Ullah in the statement said, “We have an elaborate discussion about the vehicular movement today. Decision has been taken to keep the transport operation normal in Dhaka, suburban and inter-district routes.”
He also requested the administration to beef up the security measures at different important points to make the vehicular movement uninterrupted.
Around 300 owners-workers of different transport companies from Sayedabad Bus Terminal, Mahakhali Bus Terminal, Gulistan TBC Road and Fulbaria Bus Terminal were present in the joint meeting in the capital.
Meanwhile, police had set up a number of check posts at Abdullahpur, Gabtoli and Jatrabari areas, the entry points of the capital.
At the Abdullapur intersection check post, police were stopping the buses and asking passengers to get off the vehicles for checking since Thursday morning.
Whenever police saw any long route bus, they asked the passengers to get off the vehicle for checking. Then the whole bus was checked thoroughly and it took at least 10 minutes for the search.
A passenger Razia Begum at Abdullapur intersection said to this correspondent : “I am a woman. I don’t go to any meeting or procession. But my bags are being checked. It is a kind of harassment.”
Ramzan Ali, a passenger from Mymensingh was going to Mahakhali, said, “When our bus arrived at Abdullapur intersection, police stopped it and asked us to get off. A rally will be held, but we are being harassed.”
Badrul Hasan, Dhaka City Uttara Division ADC (Crime), said, “We are conducting the search in order to avert any kind of subversive activity ahead of the rally. We have been carrying out the search since this morning.”
About the allegation of the harassment of passengers, he said, “Such measures have been taken for the sake of public safety. Here is nothing about harassment.”
Along with the passenger buses, the motorcycles, battery-run auto-rickshaws, CNG and even pedestrians in suspicion were also searched at the check posts.
Whenever any motorcycle was entering the Gabtoli entry point, police carried out searches and even filed cases for any anomalies.
In addition to the buses, police searched hundreds of motorbikes since Thursday morning in the Gabtoli area.
Sub-Inspector of Darus Salam Jahir Hossain said, “It is easy to carry any unexpected things on the motorbikes. It can be used for any subversive activity. So the checking is tight.”
Meanwhile, the three check posts were set up at Jatrabari area, an entry point of Dhaka from Chattogram and other districts. Even the number of police personnel was increased in the area.
Assistant Police Commissioner of Demra Zone ASM Azad said, “We have set up check posts at Kutubkhali, Jatrabari intersection and Signboard areas. It is a routine check.”
Meanwhile, the number of vehicles in the capital was reduced to a great number and it caused immense suffering for the passengers on the last working day of the week.
Organising Secretary of Dhaka Transport Owners Association Mahbubur Rahman said, “The transport owners are in fear of running buses because of the clash incident on Wednesday in the capital.”
The transport sector said that the number of passengers and buses have been reduced because of the violent incident between police and BNP on Wednesday. Everyone is apprehending what will happen on December 10.