CHATTOGRAM, May 23: Activities of the axle load control station at Sitakunda on the Chattogram-Dhaka highway have remained suspended since the attacks by transport workers on May 19.
A case was filed against more than 200 unidentified people for vandalising the load control station, damaging its computers, weight display and closed-circuit television camera, highway police said.
The control station activities have been suspended as the load display system has been damaged, said the Officer-in-Charge of the Highway Police at Sitakunda Circle on Wednesday.
No load control and weighing activities can be carried out after the Saturday night incident.
Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation AJM Nasir Uddin and President of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahbubul Alam urged the Roads Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader to suspend enforcement of the axle load control restrictions in the area during this Ramadan.
They said vehicles carrying cargoes on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway were facing inordinate delay at the Sitakunda load control station, causing severe traffic congestion on the highway.
This situation has also led to disruption in delivery of imported raw materials and essential commodities and container congestion in the Chattogram Port, causing price hike of essentials, they added.
Meanwhile, the joint association of the cargo transport operators on Wednesday threatened to suspend all kinds of cargo transportation on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway for an indefinite period protesting harassment and extortion from cargo-carrying trucks and covered vans.
At a press conference at the Chittagong Press Club, the combined group of three cargo transport associations also urged the authorities to conduct the load control activities under the supervision of the Bangladesh Army like in the case of the control station on the Jamuna Bridge.
The three gropus are Inter-District Cargo Transport Association, Covered Van Owners Association and Chattogram Transport Business Owners Association.
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