Bus drivers face alleged extortion in Faridpur

Faridpur Bus Workers Raise Alarm Over Roadside Money Collection

Thebangladaily.com – Long-distance passenger bus drivers and transport workers in Faridpur have voiced concern over an alleged roadside collection of Tk 60 from each vehicle, said to be taken in the name of workers’ welfare. Those who do not pay have allegedly faced verbal abuse, pressure and other forms of harassment.

The issue came into public view on Thursday at the Faridpur-Rajbari road junction, where people connected to transport workers’ organisations were seen stopping buses and collecting money from drivers. The practice has prompted sharp criticism from parts of the transport sector, while officials have rejected claims that the collections had formal authorisation.

Two Charges Add Up to Tk 60

Transport workers said each long-route passenger bus was being asked to pay Tk 30 for one workers’ organisation and another Tk 30 for a second organisation. The combined demand therefore reached Tk 60 per bus.

Collectors were reportedly positioned at two separate locations close to the junction. They used red flags to signal buses to stop, then issued receipts after taking the money. For drivers already responsible for keeping schedules, passengers and vehicles moving safely, an unexpected stop and payment demand can add tension to an ordinary journey.

The complaints are not limited to the amount involved. Workers have questioned whether roadside collection of this kind has a valid legal or administrative basis. Some described it as open extortion and said they may resist any attempt to compel payment from buses.

The allegations also include the use of the name of the Faridpur office of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, or BRTA. That claim has been directly denied by the official whose name was invoked.

BRTA Official Rejects Claim of Permission

Palash Khisa, assistant director of BRTA Faridpur, said he had not approved any collection of money from vehicles on the road. He made clear that his office had not granted permission for the activity.

“There is no question of giving permission to collect money on the roads. If anyone has invoked my name, that is their personal matter,” he said.

The denial is significant because the alleged use of an official’s name can make drivers feel that payment is compulsory, even when no formal order exists. Clear information from responsible authorities is therefore important for preventing confusion among vehicle operators and passengers.

Yasin Molla, president of the Faridpur Motor Workers’ Union-1055, said the money was being collected with permission from a BRTA official. He said the funds would be used for the welfare of workers.

People carrying out the collection also maintained that they were acting on instructions from leaders of the Faridpur Motor Workers’ Union-1055 and the Faridpur Road Transport Workers’ Union. The competing statements have placed the focus on whether any written approval, lawful process or transparent welfare mechanism exists for collecting money from passing buses.

District Administration Orders Collection to Stop

The district administration has said no directive was issued allowing money to be taken from buses on public roads. Md Sohrab Hossain, additional deputy commissioner (General) and administrator of the Faridpur District Bus Owners’ Association, said the activity should cease immediately.

“There is no scope for collecting money on the roads. We have instructed them to stop it immediately after learning about the matter. The reason behind the collections will be investigated,” he said.

That instruction offers an immediate response to the complaints, while the promised inquiry may determine who organised the collection, why two separate payments were sought and whether the names of public officials were used without authority.

For transport workers, the matter reaches beyond a single roadside junction. A bus travelling a long route may encounter multiple operating expenses, and any unapproved charge can become a source of dispute between drivers, helpers, owners and those seeking payment. When demands are made in public and under pressure, drivers may feel unable to challenge them even if they doubt their legitimacy.

Passengers also have a direct interest in orderly road transport operations. Delays caused by unnecessary stops can disrupt travel, while arguments at roadside points may create an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe environment. Public roads are intended for movement and traffic management, not for disputed financial collections.

Need for Transparency in Welfare Activities

Workers’ welfare funds can serve an important purpose when they are managed openly, backed by proper authority and used for clearly stated benefits. Transport workers often depend on collective support during illness, accidents or other hardship. But a welfare objective does not remove the need for transparent rules about how money is raised and who is entitled to collect it.

In Faridpur, the central questions remain straightforward: whether the money collection had any lawful approval, whether drivers were given a genuine choice, and how any funds already collected would be recorded and spent. A credible investigation should address these issues and communicate its findings clearly to the transport community.

Until then, the administration’s direction to halt the roadside collection is likely to be closely watched by drivers and bus operators. The episode has underlined the importance of ensuring that no organisation, individual or intermediary can impose informal charges on public roads by citing the name of an authority that has not granted permission.