5 beaten for protesting extortion from transports

A R Soheb Chowdhury, Char Fasson (Bhola)

Five persons were beaten up and injured for protesting extortion from CNG-powered auto-rickshaws in Char Fasson Upazila Town on Tuesday noon.

It is known that at the Sadar Road CNG stand, a CNG driver named Murad, under the leadership of driver Mahfuz, collects Tk 30 from each CNG. The victim Md Monir alleged that Mahfuz, Murad and Mehedi attacked CNG drivers with batons and beat them when they protested the extortion.

The complainant said, “When Murad came to collect the toll money, Mehedi paid him Tk 30. When we protested the matter, they thrashed me along with Ruhul Amin, 40, Riaz, 35, Belal, 37, and Zakir, 32. Later we received first aid from the hospital.”

Ruhul Amin and Monir said, “We will not give any kind of toll until the elected government is formed in the country. Otherwise we will take legal action.”

It is known that there are more than 100 CNG-powered auto-rickshaws in Char Fasson Upazila. The CNG drivers also said that during the Awami League government, each of them used to pay Tk 100 as municipality toll.

Accused Mahfuz and Murad said, “We are not involved in this attack.”

Char Fasson Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shakhawat Hossain said, “No one has complained about the collection of toll. If a written complaint is received, legal action will be taken subject to investigation.”