Crores of taka is being collected from Bus as extortion

Yesterday, Wednesday (March 6th), the anti-corruption organization Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) revealed in a study that approximately 1.60 crore taka is collected annually through extortion and irregularities from privately-owned buses and mini busses in the country. The people of the country have been deeply shaken by this news, and every newspaper has highlighted it prominently. This underscores its significance and the sense of apprehension it conveys.

It has been found in the research that who benefits from this large sum of extortion and irregularities. 25 crore Taka is collected for party members and groups, political activists collect 33 billion, traffic and highway police collect 87 crore and transportation owners and labor unions collect 13 crore Taka from bus terminals.

The largest portion of the money collected through extortion or irregularities is required to be given to the Road Transport Authority (BRTA). Over 900 crore Taka is extorted for bus registration, obtaining permits, and for renewals. The Executive Director of TIB, Iftekharuzzaman, stated, "This calculation of extortion has been greatly underestimated. In reality, extortion is many times greater than this."

Looking at all this, it must be said with regret, are we living in a country of plunder? Through irregularities and corruption, crores of taka are flowing into the pockets of looters, while on the other hand, the pockets of ordinary people are being emptied. Bus owners collect these extortions from ordinary passengers as they have to give bribes at every turn. Hence, extra fares are sometimes necessary to pay. Just giving money doesn't always bring freedom; often, it leads to uncertainty in life. Because, by bribing, bus owners and drivers put unfit and worn-out vehicles on the road. They also engage in competition among themselves, even compromising safety, just to cover extra expenses. In one instance, irregularity is generating irregularity across all fields.

According to the research, it has been observed that 80 percent of these bus owners are political leaders. They do not hesitate to put unregistered buses on the road using corrupt means. They also obstruct transportation workers by hiring incompetent drivers and withholding designated wages. It means our lives are actually in the hands of an uncontrolled chaos. Without addressing corruption and extortion, there is no way to achieve freedom from this situation.

For this, the law enforcement agencies, city corporations, Ministry of Road Transport, and all relevant departments, including BRTA, need to be vigilant. It must be remembered that if the roads are not safe, no one's life is safe. Furthermore, ensuring the safety of the roads requires establishing transportation systems that are free from corruption, bribery, and extortion. We urge the relevant authorities of the government to focus on this matter. Keeping silent on such an urgent issue could lead to fatal consequences.