Strike at stone quarries
Sylhet District Truck Owners' Association and three other organisations have called a day-long strike at all stone quarries in Jaintapur and Gowainghat upazilas today demanding immediate removal of illegal toll collection points from Sylhet-Tamabil highway.
The leaders of the four organisations gave the call at a press conference at Sylhet Press Club yesterday afternoon. They read out a written statement at the conference, alleging that some organised groups have set up four illegal toll collection points on the highway in the name of union parishad tax and upazila parishad tax.
They even forcibly realise Tk 700 to Tk 1200 from each stone-laden truck, the press conference was told.
They further alleged that they had submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner last week demanding removal of the illegal toll collection points from the highway, but to no effect.
President of Sylhet Zila Truck Malik Samity Saleh Ahmed Khasru, Jafflong Stone Crushing Mill Malik Samity President Haji Aziruddin, Jaintapur Truck Malik Samity President Md Sirajul Alam, Jaintapur Pathor Sramik Trade union leader Abdus Shukur were present at the press conference.
Over 50,000 labourers work in the quarries at Jafflong, Sripur and Bichhnakandi. Some organised groups allegedly backed by the ruling party leaders are involved in illegal toll collection on Sylhet-Tamabil highway, which is used for transporting stones from the quarries to Sylhet and other places of the country.
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