Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
Despite the High Court’s ban on plying of battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka and Chittagong cities, the vehicles are running on different roads of the cities.
A HC bench on Thursday passed the order as the battery-run rickshaws do not have licences. The order came following the city corporations’ denial to issue licence to them to ply on the city roads.
Visiting different areas in the capital on Sunday, it was found that the battery-run rickshaws were plying on different roads freely, while these were not seen on some other roads following the HC order. A number of home-bound passengers on the roads, where the movement of battery-run rickshaws was not seen, were experiencing sufferings due to shortage of paddle-run rickshaws.
Khilgoan Railgate-Goran road is one of the city roads where the movement of battery-run rickshaws was usual like before the HC order. Arif Hossain, a rickshaw driver, told this reporter that although he is aware of the ban, he has no alternative but to drive his battery-run rickshaw, as his family depends on his income.
“After hard effort, I bought this battery-run rickshaw. If I stop plying the vehicle, it will affect my family seriously,” he said.
Joynal, another battery-run rickshaw driver, said they are continuing the job,
as their leaders would appeal against the order. He also said, “I am a very poor person. Where I will go if I leave the job?”
The plying of battery-run rickshaws was also reported from different roads in the port city Chittagong. Arefin Jewel, additional deputy commissioner (traffic) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), said they have not started taking any measures against the battery-run rickshaw, as they are waiting for the copy of the court order.
Meanwhile, Ittefaq More-Maniknagar is one of the roads in the capital where the movement of battery-run rickshaws was seen stopped following the HC order. On Sunday evening, many home-bound passengers were seen standing on the Ittefaq More for paddle-run rickshaws in absence of battery-run rickshaws for long.
Rahela Akhter, a passenger, who was waiting for paddle-run rickshaw said “The paddle-run rickshaw and CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers are charging excessive fares, taking advantage of the ban on battery-run rickshaws. I am waiting here for long time, but not getting rickshaws.”
Rashed Miah, another passenger, said, “We are habituated to go to Maniknagar from Ittefaq More paying Tk. 10 per head. In absence of the battery-run rickshaws, we have to pay Tk. 20 for per head. We don’t get the rickshaw often even at high fare.”
Initially in 2012, people were glad when the battery-run rickshaws began plying on the city streets as commuters could reach their destinations faster than using paddle-run rickshaws, and at a cheaper rate than CNG-run auto-rickshaws.
But the city corporations concerned have rejected all the applications for licence as there is no provision in the Traffic Control and Public Vehicle By-Laws 1973 to give permits to battery-driven auto-rickshaws.
Earlier in February this year, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu said in the Parliament that the government has no plan to stop the plying of battery-run rickshaws, as these are eco-friendly.
Maruf Rahman, national advocacy officer of WBB Trust who works on transport, said that 80 to 90 lakh people of the Dhaka city use different kind of rickshaws. A policy is needed about the rickshaws plying on the city streets, he said.
Despite the High Court’s ban on plying of battery-run rickshaws in Dhaka and Chittagong cities, the vehicles are running on different roads of the cities.
A HC bench on Thursday passed the order as the battery-run rickshaws do not have licences. The order came following the city corporations’ denial to issue licence to them to ply on the city roads.
Visiting different areas in the capital on Sunday, it was found that the battery-run rickshaws were plying on different roads freely, while these were not seen on some other roads following the HC order. A number of home-bound passengers on the roads, where the movement of battery-run rickshaws was not seen, were experiencing sufferings due to shortage of paddle-run rickshaws.
Khilgoan Railgate-Goran road is one of the city roads where the movement of battery-run rickshaws was usual like before the HC order. Arif Hossain, a rickshaw driver, told this reporter that although he is aware of the ban, he has no alternative but to drive his battery-run rickshaw, as his family depends on his income.
“After hard effort, I bought this battery-run rickshaw. If I stop plying the vehicle, it will affect my family seriously,” he said.
Joynal, another battery-run rickshaw driver, said they are continuing the job,
as their leaders would appeal against the order. He also said, “I am a very poor person. Where I will go if I leave the job?”
The plying of battery-run rickshaws was also reported from different roads in the port city Chittagong. Arefin Jewel, additional deputy commissioner (traffic) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), said they have not started taking any measures against the battery-run rickshaw, as they are waiting for the copy of the court order.
Meanwhile, Ittefaq More-Maniknagar is one of the roads in the capital where the movement of battery-run rickshaws was seen stopped following the HC order. On Sunday evening, many home-bound passengers were seen standing on the Ittefaq More for paddle-run rickshaws in absence of battery-run rickshaws for long.
Rahela Akhter, a passenger, who was waiting for paddle-run rickshaw said “The paddle-run rickshaw and CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers are charging excessive fares, taking advantage of the ban on battery-run rickshaws. I am waiting here for long time, but not getting rickshaws.”
Rashed Miah, another passenger, said, “We are habituated to go to Maniknagar from Ittefaq More paying Tk. 10 per head. In absence of the battery-run rickshaws, we have to pay Tk. 20 for per head. We don’t get the rickshaw often even at high fare.”
Initially in 2012, people were glad when the battery-run rickshaws began plying on the city streets as commuters could reach their destinations faster than using paddle-run rickshaws, and at a cheaper rate than CNG-run auto-rickshaws.
But the city corporations concerned have rejected all the applications for licence as there is no provision in the Traffic Control and Public Vehicle By-Laws 1973 to give permits to battery-driven auto-rickshaws.
Earlier in February this year, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu said in the Parliament that the government has no plan to stop the plying of battery-run rickshaws, as these are eco-friendly.
Maruf Rahman, national advocacy officer of WBB Trust who works on transport, said that 80 to 90 lakh people of the Dhaka city use different kind of rickshaws. A policy is needed about the rickshaws plying on the city streets, he said.
