Not all extortions are extortions. Collection of mutually agreed money from transport operators, according to a minister of the newly installed cabinet, is not extortion. He explains, "What is described as extortion on the roads" cannot be considered extortion because transport owners' association and transport workers' association collect funds for their welfare. He admits "there may be debate over" how much of the collected funds are used to support the welfare of vehicle owners or workers but the practice does not fall under the extortion category. He explains further that since the money is collected "on the basis of mutual understanding", it cannot be called extortion.
The reaction of the Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) has been sharp and to the point. Executive Director of the TIB, Dr Iftekharuzzaman points out that the minister's defence of extortion is contradictory to his party's election manifesto and the position taken by almost all the ministers including the Minister for Road Transport and Bridges himself and the Prime Minister. No matter how the minister tries to defend extortion, the TIB chief observed, it is a failure on the part of the minister concerned to realise that he is justifying extortion, the burden of which will fall on the people.
Indeed, this controversial contention of extortion sends a wrong message to the people. Already a week has passed by, but there is no rejoinder of the minister or any other member of the cabinet to the contrary of this position. This does not augur well for the earlier stated campaign against corruption. If the racket in the transport sector is allowed to go unabated, it gives a wrong signal to other areas of the administration. Reports have it that under the interim government, bribery and corruption proliferated because of the administration's passivity. But in this case, it is not only turning a blind eye by the new government to extortion but also will be considered an encouragement to such vile practices.
According to the new definition of extortion the minister has proposed, a mutually agreed fund is no extortion money. If mutual understanding is a key word here, more important is to find how the bargain was initiated. There is a background of extortion, which hardly comes to light. If an organisation decides to pool a fund for the welfare of its members, it is called subscription. Then there is yet another mechanism of voluntary transfer of money. This is donation.
When it comes to extortion, the target people are coerced to pay money meaning against such people's will. There are social parasites who under the protective umbrella of political party, usually the ruling party, realise extortion money. The transport workers' and owners' associations are far too influential for their members. The latter have no choice but to submit to the demands of the associations. Subscriptions cannot be a daily affair of payment. Most likely a monthly contribution to the common fund over the years does the tricks. But the illegal extortion money collected daily across the three bus terminals at Syedabad, Gabtoli and Mohakhali is reported to be no less than Tk10 million. The influential quarters get share of this illegal money and they maintain their liaison with government high-ups. Had it been a case of subscription, transport workers would be far better off by this time in terms of income and family welfare. Donation is associated with generosity of people who can afford to dispense with a portion of their income for various humanitarian purposes. No one can be a better example of this than billionaire Warren Buffett.
The new government was expected to dismantle the entrenched vested power in order to bring discipline in the road transport sector. But the inauspicious setting of the tone of campaign against extortion by the road transport and bridges minister will not help the cause. The TIB chief has demanded the minister concerned withdraw his statement and suggested he should be held accountable for the wrong definition of extortion. People in high positions should not make comments that go in favour of vested quarters and against the people. Even this wrong interpretation may make his job difficult if he does not clarify it to the contrary.
