S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Despite the government’s ban, battery-run easy-bikes, CNG run auto-rickshaws, have started running again on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in the country that causes frequent road accidents. Due to plying of such vehicles on the important highways, movement of long-haul transports is being hampered seriously as well as the commuters are facing immense sufferings during their travelling, sources said. It is to be mentioned that, the AL government imposed a ban on plying of three wheelers on country’s highways on August 1 in 2015 in a bid to reduce road accidents.
Though plying of three wheelers on the highways had been reduced slightly for few days after imposition of the ban, the unauthorized vehicles returned to the highways within short time due to lack of proper initiative by the authorities concerned in this regard. Consequently, the trend of accidents is not reducing at all.
Due to lax vigilance of highway police, the unauthorized vehicles including battery run easy-bikes, CNG run auto-rickshaws have started to ply on the country’s 22 highways again that causes frequent accidents and severe suffering to the commuters.
During a recent visit to different highways including Dhaka-Sylhet this correspondent found that three wheelers including CNG driven auto-rickshaws, battery run easy-bikes, were running on highways randomly besides long-haul buses and other transports.
While talking some auto-rickshaw drivers said they don’t get necessary passengers in the local roads. This is why they go to the highway after managing traffic police in exchange of bribe.
There is a complaint that such vehicles are plying on the highways after managing some traffic police. They pay Tk 300 to Tk 500 to police per month, even the money is paid on weekly based. As a result, the highways have become death traps again and accidents are occurring frequently.
Salim Ahmed Folik, President of Bus Owners Association in Sylhet District said, huge traffic congestion is created on the highways everyday for plying of such unauthorized vehicles. Buses and trucks cannot run on the highways in normal speed.
Most of the time drivers become reckless to cover time and meet to tragic accidents.
He further said they held several meetings with the government demanding stop of such vehicles on the highways, but to no effect. To reduce traffic congestion and frequent accidents on the highways, the government should take stern position against such illegal vehicles, he suggested.
Replying a question, a traffic sergeant seeking anonymity told that, a large portion of the people in the country are involved with such transports.
Such vehicles are only source of income for many families. Without creation of alternative way of employment for such people, it is not possible to stop plying of the CNG and three wheelers on the highway completely. The step doubtlessly will be caused of rising unemployment problems in the country, he opined.
