Extortion in the name of municipality toll in Ishwardi

Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :

Allegations of extortion in the name of municipality toll collection have been raised in Ishwardi. Disobeying the instructions of the High Court, a few youths are sitting in a group behind the highway with colorful umbrellas and wooden benches with receipt and pen in hand. When small and large vehicles including battery and engine driven cargo trucks are seen, they are stopped by these youths. Receipts are given to the driver and his assistant in the name of toll. The name of the lessee is written on the receipt. If they don’t want to pay, the collector quarrels with the drivers. There are also cases of car to collect levies. In this way, the scene of extortion in the name of municipal toll collection has been seen in some areas including Alhaj intersection of Ishwardi-Pabna highway of Ishwardi upazila of Pabna.
It is known that according to the petition No. 4640/2022 filed in the High Court to stop the collection of tolls by stopping the vehicles on the highways, in the light of the order on April 21, a notice was issued to all city corporations and municipal mayors not to collect tolls from roads and highways except for terminals. Instructions are issued from the Department of Transport and Highways. According to the copy of the High Court, there is no tender without a terminal. As per Clause 7 of Section 98 of the Municipal Regulations, collection of tolls in the name of parking fee is completely illegal except for terminals constructed by the municipality. Although there is no truck terminal here, extortion has been going on at several places on the road with toll collection receipts in the name of municipal development.
According to sources, in the middle of 2022, Abul Kashem got a toll collection lease from the municipality for only 1 lakh taka. About 15 people are collecting the fee from the lessees at five places including Bakuler intersection, Chandali intersection, Railgate, Velupara intersection. 50 taka from cargo trucks, pickups, covered vans, nachimans, buses, minibuses, 20 taka from illegal engine-powered vans and 10 taka from battery-powered vans carrying goods.
About 32,000 taka is collected daily from more than four hundred vehicles which 9 lakh per month and more than 1 crore taka per year. Drivers complain of being charged more than the specified price at night, often without a receipt.
Abul Kashem, the lessee, said that the money was withdrawn through the lease with the permission of the municipality. Every year, the president and general secretaries in charge of the 9 wards of the municipality are being leased to the municipality for toll collection.
Municipal Mayor Isahaq Ali Malitha said that the toll is collected during the unloading of goods within the municipal area by calling from the municipality.
However, he said that it is not collected from CNG or autos, he added that Nasimon, Karimon, Bhavat are collected from them. I get money in the municipal fund by leasing for one year. Tolls have been collected for a long time for municipal development. It is being realized in a completely legal way by way of lease. He said that there is no prohibition of the High Court in this regard, he said that tolls are collected everywhere.