Rice trucks to get police escorts

Dhaka, July 14 (bdnews24.com) ? Now on, rice carrying trucks moving across the country will be provided with police escorts to evade hijacking, the home minister.

The move follows a strike of Naogaon Truck Owners-Workers Association demanding security.

"The carrier trucks will also move in convoys on highways," Shahara Khatun told reporters on Thursday evening after a meeting at the ministry on prevention of truck hijacking.

"The number of highway police patrol will also be increased," she said.

The minister also said that Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has been ordered to take initiative to install Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker on the trucks carrying rice or other valuables like steel rod or readymade garment products.

On July 7, a coordination council of the Naogaon Truck Owners-Workers Associations had started the strike to protest frequent hijacking of trucks.

Pointing out that most of the rice is taken to various parts of the country in trucks from Naogaon, she said, "Whenever the convoy would enter a district, the district police department will take over the convoy's responsibility."

Food minister Abdur Razzaque, shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, Naogaon Truck Owners-Workers Association leaders and law enforcement agency officials attended the meeting.

NAOGAON STRIKE WITHDRAWN

Naogaon Truck Owners-Workers Association president Mohammad Ilias Reza Tuhin said following the government move, the association had called off their strike.

Tuhin, also the truck owners-workers coordination council convenor, told bdnews24.com that at least 58 trucks were hijacked and nine drivers and helpers killed over the last 10 years.

"Many businessmen had to quit as they faced bankruptcy," he said.

bdnews24.com/sha/trb/nir/2345h

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