In a dramatic shift in Bangladesh’s transport sector, rank-and-file members of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are reportedly taking control of the scum of extortion long been dominated by affiliates of the previous regime.
Allegations have it that BNP men have seized leadership of key associations of transport owners and workers, thereby gaining influence over the systematic collection of extortion money from the country’s vast transport network.
However, BNP leaders refuted the allegations, telling Times of Bangladesh (ToB) that extortionists actually belong to not a specific political party.
Data available with Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and other sources shows an estimated Tk 2,000 crore is illegally extracted annually from public and goods transport through structured extortion mechanisms.
The system is largely operated under the guise of organisational levies imposed by owner-worker federations, and the share of each extorted sum is carefully distributed among different interest groups.
There are three main types of extortion practised in the sector—daily subscription fee in the name of transport bodies, route-based levies for buses and minibuses, and company-specific fees.
These fees, once collected, are allegedly divided among influential figures within the respective unions and political patrons.
Uttering sheer frustration, a bus driver said he used to pay toll in the name of service charges at three to four points during the previous regime.
“Now, I have to pay it to a dozen of places,” he told ToB on condition of anonymity.
According to a 2023 TIB report, nearly 92% of large bus companies in Bangladesh have direct political affiliations, with key stakeholders being current or former politicians.
Even under the interim administration, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association, Bus-Truck Owners’ Association and Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Association have charted a guideline for collecting service charges and/or operating costs in the sector.
It specified rates such as Tk 110 per vehicle per day in Dhaka, Tk 70 outside Dhaka, and up to Tk 300 for company-managed buses.
A breakdown of Tk 110 extorted from a single bus includes Tk 30 for the terminal owners’ association, Tk 30 for workers’ unions, and smaller shares for transport owners’ associations, police liaison units, and terminal committees.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman emphasised that the problem is not merely in political transition, but a failure to break the cycle of abuse.
“Though the faces have changed, the extortion culture is still in practice. We hoped the culture would end. But I am not surprised to see its return even today.”
The distribution of extortion money continues to benefit traffic police, BRTA officials, local political actors, and municipal representatives—regardless of the party in power, he added.
BNP’s Saiful Islam Leads Owners’ Association
After a shift in political climate on August 5, the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association office remained closed for days. On August 13, Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, joint convener of the Comilla North District BNP, reopened the office and declared himself convener of a 31-member interim committee.
By December 31, he was elected general secretary in a controversial election.
Saiful previously served as the general secretary of the same association during BNP’s tenure, working under then-president Mirza Abbas, now a member of the party’s standing committee. Though Abbas is officially not part of the association, he still remains influential in the sector.
The transport owners’ network is divided into association-based and terminal-based factions. While the association governs urban transport, the terminal-based Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association—predominant in long-route services—holds sway at inter-district terminals like Gabtoli.
Currently, key terminals across Dhaka no longer operate under their previous committees, which have allegedly been overtaken. Though Ramesh Chandra Ghosh of Shyamoli Paribahan is a name-only chairman of the association, which is reportedly in the hands of Kafil Uddin, president of Aminbazar union unit BNP and owner of Hanif Paribahan.
According to sources at Mohakhali Terminal, daily extortion from the facility can reach Tk 10 lakh. The operation is reportedly managed by Saiful Alam and former Dhaka BNP North convener Saiful Alam Nirab, who are also said to control truck terminals in Tejgaon and beyond.
When contacted, both Saifuls denied any involvement in extortion. “There may be scattered instances of extortion, but we are not involved in any organised activity. Extortionists belong to no party—they exploit situations for personal gain. Many of those involved earlier have fled or gone abroad. We are trying to stop this culture.”
BNP’s Shimul Biswas Eyeing Workers’ Federation
On the workers’ side, 249 registered transport labour unions operate under the umbrella of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation. Transport-sector leadership is now being restructured, with BNP-affiliated individuals allegedly filling key positions.
Former president Shahjahan Khan, an Awami League veteran and former minister, is currently behind bars. Meanwhile, Abdur Rahim Bakhsh, current president of the federation, is reportedly aligned with BNP, and the current general secretary, Humayun Kabir Khan, is also affiliated with the party.
Former general secretary Osman Ali—linked to the left-wing Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD)—is reportedly on the run.
Significantly, Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, a close aide to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has emerged as a key figure likely to assume future leadership of the federation. However, when asked, Shimul declined to make any comment on the issue right now.
Veteran labour leader Mohammad Hanif Khokon remarked, “Only the label on the bottle has changed, the content remains the same. Earlier, Team A led the extortion, now Team B does. The money now goes to new groups’ pockets.”
‘ENA’ Transforms into ‘United’
On the Dhaka-Mymensingh route, ENA Paribahan operated over 400 buses—most owned by Awami League leader Khandaker Enayet Ullah. Following the recent political turnover, ENA reportedly rebranded itself as ‘United’, now managed by BNP-aligned Saiful Alam.
However, ENA buses are rarely seen these days.
When asked, Enayet said, “My buses are being prevented from operating. I never disrupted anyone’s business. But now all my buses have been taken over.”
Saiful Alam refuted the claim, saying: “In any company, business must serve both ends. Mymensingh businessmen were previously sidelined. That’s why they have taken new name ‘United’. ENA buses are still running normally on other routes.”