JU BCL leaders seize 23-Leguna demanding extortion

JU Correspondent :
Some Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders of Jahangirnagar University(JU) unit on Thursday seized a total of 23 leguna-known as human haulers, allegedly demand Tk 100 as extortion from each leguna plying on the Savar-Ashulia route, outskirts of the capital.

The alleged BCL men are, JU BCL vice-president Abdullah Al Faruk Imran, Shah Paran, Hasan Mahmud Farid, Abul Kalam Azad, joint general secretary Deluar Hossain, Lelin Mahbub, and deputy student affairs secretary Al-Razi Sarkar. The accused are residents of Mir Mosharraf Hossain hall, most of them have ended their studentship.

The vehicles were brought to the university campus following the direction of the alleged BCL leaders. A security guard of the hall was forcibly deployed by the BCL men aiming to restrict fleeing the vehicles.

Drivers and staffers said, some activists of JU BCL stopped the way of the vehicles at the university’s Mir Mosharraf Hossain hall gate without explaining any reason on Wednesday night and took them inside the campus.

Later, JU BCL joint general secretary Deluar Hossain collected the keys of the vehicles from the drivers and invited a ‘discussion’ with the owners of the vehicles.

Owner of ‘Anarkali Group’ Hasan Ali-who owns seven of the seized leguna said, ‘We have to give daily Tk 25 for each leguna plying on the route to the leaders of BCL JU unit. However, they are demanding Tk 100 from each leguna from this month, which was Tk 25. It is unbearable for us.’

Admitting the confinement, the alleged BCL men claimed, ‘The vehicles lack of proper fitness that leads to striking JU student’s personal vehicles frequently on the route.’

JU BCL joint general secretary Deluar Hossain said, ‘The vehicles won’t be freed without discussion of the owners as two JU students were hit by a leguna on Monday.’

JU BCL general secretary Habibur Rahman Liton said, ‘BCL is not involved in this regard. The leaders have seized the vehicle for their personal issues. JU BCL won’t take responsibility for such a matter and I have already informed the highway police about it.’

JU Proctor of the University AS Firoz-ul-Hasan did not respond to phone calls.

Officer in charge of Savar Highway Police Station Azizul Haque said, ‘I have been informed about the incident. However, none of the sides communicate with us for settlement the issue yet.’

According to Leguna Owners’ Association of Savar, some 2,200 leguna regularly ply on the Savar-Ashulia route.