"This money is OC, as many people as traffic police have, everyone eats"

   

"This money is OC, as many people as traffic police have, everyone eats"

A three-wheeler battery-powered rickshaw can accommodate one passenger in the driver's seat and two passengers in the back. These illegal battery-powered rickshaws in Turag area of ​​the capital are locally known as 'Mishuk'. To drive this rickshaw (Mishuk) you have to buy tokens every month. An association called Mishuq Malik Samiti sells tokens. And that association is managed by the relatives of two local ward councillors. Each token has to be bought for 1000 rupees, which can run the rickshaw for a month.

This information has been known by talking to several rickshaw drivers, owners and rickshaw battery charge garage owners of wards 53 and 54 of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) in Turage. They said that the rickshaw token trade in Ward No. 53 is under the control of Shafiqul Islam alias Swapan, the son of Nasir Uddin, the councilor of that ward. Babul Hossain, the uncle of Councilor Jahangir Hossain of ward number 54, controls the sale of tokens in that area. He is the former vice-president of ward number 54 Awami League.

Nazmul Hasan and Ismail Hossain, son of Ward Councilor No. 53, Shafiqul Islam, have given responsibility for selling these tokens. Tokens are sold at the office of Misuk Malik Samiti on the eastern side of the Nayanagar Eidgah ground in Turag. Apart from this, tokens can also be bought from Lineman Kamal Hossain who is in charge of Uttara Sector 12 Khalpad. Kamal also admitted to Prothom Alo about selling tokens.

A person named Farooq Khan sold the tokens as the uncle of the councilor in ward number 54. He is the General Secretary of Awami League Unit No. 2 of Ward No. 54. Tokens are to be purchased from Farooq's shop in Kamarpara Old Market (Road No. 20) area of ​​Turag. Apart from this, tokens can also be bought from Barek, Biojid and Shahidul, the linemen employed by Farooq in the Kamarpara traffic police box area.

When Nazmul Hossain's mobile phone was called to inquire about the sale of tokens, it was found to be switched off. Ismail Hossain, another token seller, told Prothom Alo that Farooq Khan is in charge of the Mishuk Malik Samiti. All tokens come from him.

Farooq Khan claimed that he is not involved in the sale of tokens. He told Prothom Alo that when the traffic police detained a rickshaw for being a politician, many people rushed to him and requested him to release the rickshaw. He then took 1000 taka from the rickshaw owners and arranged to bring the rickshaw with another 200 taka from his own pocket.

Extortion of 'Tk 23 lakh' for tokens

More than 2500 battery operated rickshaws operate in Ward No. 53 and 54 area of ​​Dhaka North City. However, the rickshaws which run in the name of local Awami League, leaders of organs and allied organizations or members of the law and order forces, do not need to buy tokens for those rickshaws. Tokens are provided for free.

Apart from this, tokens are sold for about 1,200 rickshaws in ward number 53 and about 1,100 rickshaws in ward number 54. 23 Lakh Tokens are sold per month at 1000 Taka per Token.

A rickshaw owner from Turag's Nabunbazar area, who did not want to be named, told Prothom Alo, "I bought a rickshaw token from Farooq Khan on the 4th of this month. 22 thousand have to be paid for 22 rickshaws. It is oppression for the rickshaw owners and drivers. The rickshaw owner said that the share of token sale money goes into the pockets of local leaders, police stations and traffic police.

Councilor's son Shafiqul also told the policemen to share this money. He told Prothom Alo, "It is eaten by the OC (Officer-in-Charge of Turag Police Station), all the people of the traffic police."

Nabid Kamal, deputy commissioner of Uttara division of traffic police, told Prothom Alo, "I have not received any complaint that members of the traffic police have taken this money." Action will be taken against those responsible if a specific complaint is received.

Maudut Howladar, who has recently taken charge of Turag Police Station, said, "I do not know about the money transaction. I don't know anyone here like that yet. So I have no comment on this for now. But since you have given the information, we will verify the information and then we can say who is doing what. He said, the main task of controlling battery-powered auto-rickshaws is the traffic department. They are sometimes assisted by the Thana police and there are instructions to stop the illegal rickshaws.

Road test in the first week

Tokens have to be collected between 6th and 7th of every month by paying money. The members of the association and their workers conducted a regular operation to stop the rickshaws of those who did not buy the token within the stipulated time. The rickshaws of drivers and owners who have not bought tokens are sometimes seized and taken to the association's office, sometimes only the rickshaw mattress (driver and passenger seat) is seized.

The said operation was conducted in Ward No. 53 Nayanagar Bazar, Dharangartek, Uttara No. 12 Sector Khalpar and Chairmanbari Mor area. Nazmul's youth force did the job of arresting rickshaws there. Locally they are known as 'Sohan Group'. There are about 12 teenagers in this group.

And in Ward number 54, Farooq Khan himself conducted the raid with his assistant linemen. The operation was conducted in Kamarpara Bazar, Kamarpara Traffic Police Box, Uttara No. 10 Sluisgate, Uttara Paschim Police Station bridge area of ​​that ward.

A garage owner of Nayanagar Mosque Market area of ​​Ward No. 53 told Prothom Alo on the condition of anonymity, "Token business is based on Shafiqul Islam, son of Ward Councilor Nasir Uddin." I bought 50 tokens from his man Nazmul on September 2.'

He also said that they are torturing the rickshaw owners. Many times the police seize the rickshaw even after buying a token. Then the leaders went and advocated to release the rickshaws. Another rickshaw garage owner of Nalbhogh area told Prothom Alo, "Poor people are surrounded by fire." They are the leaders of the area, nothing can be done against them. Because Shafiqul Islam, the son of the commissioner (ward councillor) is behind it.

The shop under the pressure of money

On August 6, 8 people were burnt to death in an explosion at a hardware store in Turag's Kamarpara area. The deceased Mazharul Islam ran a rickshaw garage in that area for about 30 years. He opened a junk shop next to the garage hoping for extra income. Police said the explosion was caused by an expired disinfectant in the shop.

Majharul's wife Roksana Akhtar mentioned the issue of subscription for rickshaws to Prothom Alo about starting a rickshaw repair business from a rickshaw garage. He said, business was fairly good in small-wheeled (foot-powered) rickshaws. After the introduction of fat-wheel (battery-powered) rickshaws, earnings began to decline. Because, to drive that rickshaw on the road, you had to buy tokens with money. Even then, if the police arrested them, they had to pay money.

Court order, Mayor's proclamation

The High Court has directed the ban on battery powered three-wheelers (auto rickshaws) across the country. The High Court bench led by Justice Mamnoon Rahman gave this order last December. The court has also banned the import and sale of battery powered three-wheelers.

On the other hand, Mayor Atiqul Islam has announced the ban on battery-powered auto-rickshaws in Dhaka North City (DNCC) to save electricity. In the corporation meeting (board meeting) held last July, the mayor said, 'Each autorickshaw has four batteries. These auto-rickshaws are electricity-wasting. It is wasting a lot of electricity. Apart from this, many accidents are also happening in them. Later on September 14, the Dhaka North City Authority issued a public notice in the media to stop illegal battery-operated vehicles. It has given strict instructions to ban battery-powered vehicles by October 1 (today). However, no action has been taken so far.

Statements of councilors and relatives

Claiming that there is no involvement in token-trade, the councilor's son Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo, "Why the rickshaw token?" I am not even in this ward with more crores of rupees.' He claims that the token money goes into the pockets of the entire locality. The youth of the village gets money for drinking. He asked Nazmul and Islam to give the token money to everyone and share it with everyone. Shafiqul also said, "It is the OC (officer-in-charge of Turag police station), all the people of the traffic police eat it."

In this regard, Shafiqul's father, Nasir Uddin, councilor of Ward No. 53, told Prothom Alo, "My son does not understand, whatever - if he does, action should be taken with the help of the police." My son is not even close to any kind of extortion or such work.

Another councillor's uncle Babul Hossain was contacted on his mobile phone to talk about token-trading. He hangs up on not being able to hear anything after he gets to know the reporter's identity. After that he called several times but he did not pick up the phone.

Jahangir Hossain, Babul's nephew and Ward No. 54 councilor told Prothom Alo, "The information is totally wrong. Token Farouk's. But as my uncle probably gave him (Babul Hossain) token free. He doesn't do token-trading.' He added, 'I have caught him many times for this. Later Farooq himself came and said to give 45 cards (tokens) free for my uncle.