Dhaka: Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday said that a decision has been reached by several ministries to stop illegal extortion in the name of highway toll collections.

While speaking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting, he said that the Home Ministry was also looking into the matter and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal , strict action will be taken against those responsible.

While dictating the decisions taken at the meeting, Obaidul also said that the LGRD ministry will send the list of toll booths across the country to the Home Ministry.

He also stated that all sorts of multi-faceted extortions must be stopped, regardless of how influential their political affiliation may be.

When asked about the ongoing CNG-run auto-rickshaw strike, he said that the owners cannot take more than Tk. 900 from their drivers as daily income.

On the flip side, he also said that the police will continue overseeing whether they are hiking fares or parking erratically or not.

He also stated that some CNGs are still operating around the city regardless of the strike.

A court order has stated that 5000 new auto-rickshaws be granted license, but Quader’s ministry has sought opinion from the Home Ministry in that regard.

He has also ordered Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to expedite the issuing of transportation vehicle stickers for those who paid their registration and fitness bills, but has yet to receive those stickers.

Police has also been instructed not to check for vehicle papers when they will see the stickers on the top-left side of the cars.

Regarding the draft road transport act, the minister said that opinions of all the relevant stakeholders are being taken.

A workshop will be held in April this year, where everyone’s opinion will be taken under consideration and a unanimous decision can be reached.

As for the illegal extension chassis of truck and covered vans, the current law regarding that is planning to be amended by a ministerial committee, led by LGRD State Minister Moshiur Rahman Ranga.

A BRTC-bus was inaugurated for women and students from Mirpur’s Shewrapara to Banani’s MES bus-stand by Quader, who assured that more routes will be added in the near future.

Among others, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, LGRD State Minister Moshiur Rahman Ranga, representatives from BRTA, top law enforcement officials and others were present in the meeting.