There have been allegations of reckless extortion in the name of collecting BIWTA tolls on the Jadukata River in Tahirpur Upazila of Sunamganj's Brihat Balumahal. This extortion has been alive for the past few decades. No government or administration has been able to put an end to extortion on the Jadukata River. As soon as the current BNP government came to power, the upazila administration, on the instructions of the newly appointed local MP, began to broadcast the government price list by miking it, but in reality, more money than the prescribed rate is being forcibly collected. Last Tuesday and Wednesday, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the upazila administration announced through mikes in the Jadukata and Abua rivers that the duty for transporting sand and stones within the boundaries of the river port is 25 paisa per cubic foot of sand and 34 taka 50 paisa per ton of stone. Legal action will be taken if more is collected and a complaint is urged to be filed with the nearest naval police or police station. On Thursday, it was found on the ground that extra money is being collected in the Fazir Ghat area instead of collecting toll at the designated BIWTA wharf. Instead of 25 paisa per cubic foot, 1 taka 20 paisa and even 1.50 taka are being collected. At one stage, the toll collector, after being introduced by the journalist, sat up and said that no money is collected here, only the boatmen are given slips based on the amount of goods and the money is collected at the BIWTA wharf called Rohingya Char. After a while, a police team arrived here. The police inspector on duty was spoken to and he said that a worker was beaten up by the lessor's people at this ghat in the morning. I came here after receiving the news, but I did not receive any written complaint. Legal action will be taken if I receive the complaint. Mahdi Hasan, a boat worker from Binnakuli village, complained that while leaving Ghagra area with a 1200-foot boat in the morning, he took more money than the fixed rate at the current river ghat. He said that the upazila administration took extra money in the name of Fazilpur ghat and BIWTA. When they did not pay the money as promised, they detained the boat and beat him up. He said that a boat worker was beaten up at this ghat on Thursday morning. It is learned that the lessor of BIWTA's Fazilpur ghat is BNP General Secretary of Dakshin Barodal Union of Tahirpur Upazila Md. Nasir Mia. He leased the ghat from BIWTA for about 12 crore taka. On the other hand, Fazilpur Ghat has been leased by Jaba Mia of Dakshinkul village from Tahirpur Upazila administration for about 6 crore taka. Toll is also being collected in the Ghagra Ghat of the same river in the name of Khas Collection. BNP leader Nasir Mia, the leaseholder of the Ghat of Fazilpur BIWTA, said, "We are being charged toll at the rate set by the government here." Jaba Mia, the leaseholder of the Ghat of Fazilpur, said, "The government is charging 30 paisa per cubic foot, and no more is being charged here." Jahangir Alam, president of the Sunamganj District Naval Workers' Union and joint secretary of the Bangladesh Federal Workers' Union, said that it was decided in a meeting at the Deputy Commissioner's office that 950 taka can be charged from vessels weighing more than 200 tons at Ghagra and Fazilpur Ghats. But in reality, 7,500 to 10,000 taka is being charged. He complained that even on Wednesday afternoon, the people of the Ghat said that only 1.5 taka per foot should be charged. Former chairman Abul Kashem said, although the government has publicly advertised the tariff rates, in reality, the excessive collection is not being stopped. As a result, anger is growing among river workers and businessmen. The administration will have to take strict steps to stop extortion on the river. Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shahrukh Alam Shantanu, who is in charge of the Tahirpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said, strict initiatives are being taken to stop the illegal collection of money on the river or ghats.