Debiganj (Panchagarh) Correspondent

Rickshaw and Van Workers Union leaders have given a memorandum to UNO demanding stopping the collection of tolls of Debiganj Municipality and Karatoya bridge in Panchagarh.

Upazila Rickshaw and Van Workers Union President Abul Bashar Basunia and general secretary Mashiur Rahman submitted the memorandum to Debiganj Upazila Executive Officer Mahmudul Hasan on Monday (March 7th). Hundreds of workers and leaders of the organization were present at the time. Earlier, the president and general secretary of the organization spoke on the demands mentioned in the memorandum at the Upazila Parishad premises.

They said that the fourth China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge in Debiganj has been being collected since the inauguration of the 4th. In addition to other vehicles, battery -powered autorickshaw, autovan and rickshaws are also being collected at Tk 5 per bridge. The drivers of these battery -powered vehicles are usually low income working people, who are dependent on daily earnings. In the current economic situation, the extra burden of toll is creating more misery for them.

Regarding the collection of the toll of the Debiganj municipality, the speakers said that a circular from the local government department was issued in 2022 that it was clearly informed that no municipality would be able to collect toll or contribution from the road or highway except the terminal. The High Court also has a clear ban on this. Nevertheless, the battery -powered autorickshaw, autovan and rickshaw are being raised in the area under the control of the municipality, which is completely illegal.

The speakers demanded that the tolls be stopped by the Karatoya Bridge and the municipalityFinally, Upazila Executive Officer Mahmudul Hasan said, I got the memorandum. The memorandum will be sent to my senior authority, so that they can talk to the concerned office on the demands.