Traffic police continue taking bribes
Staff Correspondent
Sufferings of the city dwellers have intensified as most of the CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs do not carry passengers for a short distance on metered fare.
‘Drivers of CNG-run three wheelers and taxicabs always charge a contractual fare for a destination instead of going on the meter,’ alleged Tajul Islam, an employee of a private organisation, on Saturday.
‘I want to go to Jatrabari but no CNG-run three-wheeler driver agrees to take me on meter. Each of them asked for Tk 70 for taking me to Jatrabrai from Farmgate,’ he expressed his frustration, saying that the charge would not be more than Tk 50 on the metre.
When asked why he does not lodge complaint as the CNG auto-rickshaws carry the phone numbers of the police control room, he said, ‘I have tried many times to call the police but they (police) did not respond to my call.’
Another person waiting for half an hour at Shahbagh to go to Mohammadpur said, ‘I dialed the number of the police control room and the man on the other end of the phone asked me to keep the driver on hold until a traffic sergeant reaches the spot. But how can I keep the driver as he ran away while I was making the phone call.’
He also alleged that the police misbehaved with him several times showing different causes. “It is a normal phenomenon that law enforces do not take any action against the drivers and that’s why the drivers of the CNG wheelers refuse to go to desired place on metre rate.”
Another passenger at Jatraabri roundabout said city’s CNG vehicle drivers often refuse to take passengers for a short distance unless they are given money more than the metered fare.
Besides, in some cases, the drivers keep the meters of the CNG-run auto rickshaws and taxicabs dysfunctional in a bid to charge extra fare, some passengers alleged.
“It is difficult to define how much people of the city are being harassed by the drivers of CNG-run three wheeler auto rickshaws and taxicabs everyday. Even some times, they dare to harass the innocent passengers physically. When the passengers lodge complaints to the police, most of the cases, they (passengers) do not get any help from the police,” said Liton Khandoker, a banker living at Paribagh.
Asked why they do not take the passengers on metered fare, a driver said, “I have to give Tk 750 as rent to the vehicle owner whereas the government fixed rate is Tk 450. Besides, I have some other expenditure. Many days, I have to pay handsome money to the traffic sergeants to avoid cases. So, it is difficult for us to carry passengers on metered fare. Last week, I had to give Tk 1000 to traffic sergeants and policemen.”
About the drivers’ unwillingness to take passengers on metered fair, a police sergeant on condition of anonymity said, “After receiving such allegations, we conducted several drives against such taxicab drivers in last couple of weeks and hundreds of cases were lodged against them. We are trying to bring discipline to transport sector.”
Asked about the allegations that the police often do not receive phone, he said, “It happens for lack of manpower and carelessness of some concerned officials.”
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
