Vegetables traders allege harassment by toll collectors

Our Correspondent GOPALGANJ, Nov 28: Unauthorized toll collectors allegedly harass the traders transporting seasonal vegetables, fruits and others goods from different southern districts to the capital city through Daulatdia-Paturia ferry ghats. The traders who make regular trips through the ghats with their perishable goods from Gopalganj, Madaripur, Barishal, Khulna, Bagherhat, Patuakhali, Pirojpur and others southern district allege that police harass them on the grounds of overloading and often demand toll. This happens everyday, says one trader who has been carrying on business for the last 25 years. Another businessman alleged that, they have to pay toll or keep standing there for the rest of the day for clearance specially during October to December, the peak season for fresh vegetables, fish and other food items. A fellow trader said, usually a loaded track carries perishable goods worth about Tk 3,00,000 to Tk 3,50,000. Badar Chowdhury (60) a truck driver of Gopalganj sadar, told this correspondent that a single trip from Gopalganj to Dhaka costs a trader between Tk 15,000 and Tk 16,000 and from Bagerhat to Dhaka between Tk 18,000 and 20,000. While talking to a police official about this, he told The FE the truck drivers over load their vehicles. It is not always possible to check such overloading at starting points. "We stop vehicles at random to curb overloading," he said.