Local hoodlums and a section of law enforcers are allegedly extorting money from the hawkers and vendors on footpaths as the Eid shopping peaks in the capital.
Many hawkers in the city's Karwanbazar, Farmgate, Paltan, Gulistan, New Market and Gulshan areas said they have been forced to pay the extortion money to the policemen and 'linemen' appointed by local criminals.
"Usually I pay Tk 600 per week to the members of Tejgaon Police Station, Tk 20 to 30 to the patrol policemen and Tk 100 to the lineman daily," said a tea-seller at Karwanbazar.
But during Ramadan, the amount has increased to Tk 700, Tk30 to 40 and Tk 120 to 130 respectively, he added.
A garment hawker in front of the Bangabandhu National Stadium said he has paid Tk 700 per week to the members of Paltan Police Station, Tk 40 to 60 to the patrol policemen and Tk 150 to the lineman daily since the beginning of the fasting month.
Extortion by both policemen and linemen is an old practice and it is quite impossible to run a business without paying them the money, mentioned traders.
A lineman collects the extortion money from the vendors in a specific area.
Contacted, Deputy Commissioner (Tejgaon division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Imam Hossain rejected the allegation of extorting the traders. He also claimed there is no existence of any lineman.
"If they [vendors] are forced to pay the money, why don't they come to me with complaints? If anybody finds a lineman, I would like to see how influential he is," noted the official.
Source : The Daily Star
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