Highway robberies: police inaction under question

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Shahiduzzaman Khan Incidence of highway robberies has increased in alarming proportion throughout the country. More than a dozen trucks and covered vans laden with cotton, steel and export goods, mainly readymade garments (RMG), have been hijacked by the highway robbers on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in recent months. The increasing lawlessness due to banditry and the cries for assistance of those involved in the transportation of goods have gone unheeded for too long. According to reports published in the media this week, highway robberies are taking place not only on the Dhaka-Chittagong route, the same are also happening on other inter-district roads of the country at a regular level. The robbers engaged in hijacking loaded trucks and covered vans reportedly maintain direct contact with an unscrupulous section of traders and industrialists. The robbers allegedly sell the looted cotton and steel rods to them. The traders reportedly make even advance payments to the robbers. The robbers active on Dhaka-Chittagong highway allegedly have spread their network to many places of the country including Gazipur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Keraniganj, Jhenidah, Kushtia and some other places. Many transport owners have reportedly become bankrupt due to payment of compensation of looted goods while some drivers and helpers have either been killed or abducted by the hijackers of the vehicles. In a letter to the Prime Minister recently, the transport owners have depicted a grim picture of the hijacking incidents. They claimed that 10 highway robberies have occurred in just a single month involving looting of cargoes worth over Tk 200 million. Carrying of cargo on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway has become a real problem to both transport drivers and workers. Such incidents are causing immense financial losses to the industries. The government was approached many a times to gear up security measures on Chittagong-Dhaka Highway which connects the country's major seaport with the capital city. The transport owners said the highway police, entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring their safe passage, are unable to offer such services. Instead, they have allegedly formed a nexus with the robbers and are engaged in extorting money on the highway. It was witnessed that the police had arrested robbers and hijackers of goods vehicles in the past but they eventually got released because of loopholes in the law. Such hijacking incidents are happening years after years because measures to ensure the safe movement of goods-laden trucks do not exist. Highway police, instead of providing security, apparently play the role of mute spectators. Several rounds of talks were held between the businessmen, the home minister and the police about the robberies on the highways but nothing had happened by way of action. The law enforcers on the highways are also allegedly extorting money from drivers of goods-laden trucks, contributing to the price spiral of essentials in the capital's kitchen markets. Traders said extortion on highways is nothing new, but it has now reached an intolerable level. Some truck drivers travelling to the capital from other districts said they have to pay at least Tk 1,500 to 2,000 in extortion money during each trip to Dhaka from the country's northern parts. On their part, the highway police are largely ill-equipped to tackle highway crimes and do not have necessary logistics including vehicles. A few cars were procured several years back in the name of highway police. But those were later withdrawn from the highways and made available to police officials in Dhaka for use. In fact, the policemen belonging to nearby police stations are generally employed to patrol a few spots of major highways and the long stretches remain vulnerable to crimes of all types. The government needs to set up close circuit television (CCTV) camera at strategic points and strengthen highway patrol to check snatching and robbery on the highways. The number of police outposts should be increased and activities of community policing need to be strengthened further to root out the drug dealers. It is also essential to speed up the activities of coast guards in the Bangladesh maritime zone to successfully face pirates as a number of fishermen in recent times have been detained and tortured by the criminals. Strict vigil should be enforced to stop smuggling in the country's bordering areas. Some analysts have opined that the country's economic growth could have been much higher if the bribes and extortions in government offices down to highways could be checked. The extortions on highways by miscreants with political links as well as law enforcers otherwise add to the transport costs and contribute immensely to commodity price hikes. The present grand alliance government had set five major priorities in its election manifesto including establishment of good governance and pledged that 'the police and other law enforcement agencies will be kept above political influence in order to provide security to every citizen of the country.' But unfortunately, such commitment could not be materialized as yet. Nevertheless, as the cases of robberies and extortions are on increase throughout the country, the situation demands otherwise a well-orchestrated strategy to be taken by the government. The administration, especially the police, has to be allowed to work neutrally, without any interference from any powerful lobby. Respect for law and its enforcement should be restored fully. And the home minister has to perform a challenging task in this respect. In fact, such lack of law enforcement has been going on for far too long and it is imperative that the authorities shake off their collective somnolence and do something good for the safety and security on the highways. szkhan@dhaka.net