Many privately-owned CNG-run auto-rickshaws are continuing to operate commercially in the Dhaka city in defiance of a High Court order and without
permission from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority.
Some drivers of such vehicles told New Age that they were running their auto-rickshaws commercially with the help of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
The High Court on June 7, 2012 directed the DMP commissioner not to allow privately-owned auto-rickshaws to carry passengers in the city and also directed the BRTA not to give fresh registration and permission to any privately-owned auto-rickshaws.
The court gave the direction following newspaper reports that privately-owned grey-coloured auto-rickshaws were operating commercially in Dhaka and many of them were entering the capital from districts like Manikganj, Narsingdi and Narayanganj.
The BRTA submitted a report to the court stating that there were a total of 4,252 registered privately-owned auto-rickshaws in Dhaka and its adjacent districts.
It has been found that many privately-owned auto-rickshaws, which were actually registered for the Dhaka district areas, were running in the DMP areas.
A privately-owned CNG driver alleged that he had to submit Tk 800 to his owner as daily deposit.
‘My owner has two grey-coloured CNGs and his monthly income from these vehicles is about Tk 48,000. But he has to submit only Tk 10,000 to the police,’ he said.
Another driver from the Mirpur area alleged that he had painted his vehicle green few days ago and run it commercially with the permission of police.
A driver from the Dhanmondi area alleged that from April this year he again started plying his grey-coloured CNG commercially with the permission from the police.
However, none of them were able to show any document in support of their allegations.
Some leaders of the Dhaka Metropolitan CNG, Auto-Rickshaw and Mishuk Workers’ Association alleged that some privately-owned CNG owners were plying their vehicles commercially again and collecting Tk 800 as daily deposit.
A senior leader of the Dhaka Metropolitan CNG, Auto-Rickshaw Business Owners’ Association citied some routes including Gazipur-Airport and Airport-Badda and some in Mirpur area where the private CNG owners have to bribe the police on a monthly basis for plying their vehicles commercially.
President of the Dhaka Metropolitan Private CNG Auto-Rickshaw Owners’ Welfare Association Mohammad Sarwar Hossian told New Age on Friday that he did not know anything about commercial plying of private CNGs.
‘If any owner runs their CNGs commercially and collects daily deposit from the driver, that is not legal,’ he said, adding, ‘DMP did not give us any permission for plying our auto-rickshaws commercially.’
BRTA director (engineering) Mohammad Saiful Hoque told New Age that there were about 13,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws painted green for commercial operation in Dhaka city.
‘We have given registration to 223 grey-coloured privately-owned auto-rickshaws in DMP area on the condition that these auto-rickshaws will not run commercially,’ he said.
Saiful also said soon they would appoint nine more magistrates in the Dhaka office of BRTA, which has now one magistrate. ‘Then, we shall be able to strictly operate mobile courts against this violation.’
DMP joint commissioner (traffic) Rezaul Alam told New Age recently that they did not give any permission to any privately-own CNG owners to run commercially.
‘That the police have given any permission in this regard and that they collect toll from the owners is baseless,’ he added.
-With New Age input
