Trailer owners demand withdrawal of additional tax

An organisation of trailer owners and workers has demanded that Chittagong City Corporation lift additional tax on their heavy-duty vehicles.

At a press conference on Tuesday, they claimed they had not been compensated for the damage they suffered during the 2013 political violence.

Reading out a prepared statement, the organisation’s chief AKM Akter said the city corporation’s tax on trailers was Tk 500.

“But it was increased to Tk 10,000 from Feb 15 while the BRTA raised documentation fee four times.

“The BRTA requires separate registrations for movers (the front part of the vehicle) and trailers. It was not amended despite the communications minister’s directive two and a half years ago.”

He pointed out that regular traffic snarls in the city kept trailers waiting on the Airport Road before they entered the port since Chittagong had no terminal for them.

There are 4,400 trailers in Chittagong and the organisation has over 7,000 members.

During the 2013 political turmoil, 53 trailers were damaged, 24 drivers and their assistants, and 40 workers were burned, Akter added.

“Owners and workers of other vehicles were compensated but we didn’t get any compensation,” he claimed.