Chittagong Bureau :
Drivers of the four-stroke CNG-run auto-rickshaws seem to have gone out of control in the port city as they are charging extra fare from the helpless passengers here at will following the government’s recent ban on movement of those vehicles on the highways.
The CNG-run four-stroke baby taxies are running on the city streets here without meters and charging arbitrary fares from the passengers this time on pretext of the ban.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) earlier in 2005 issued order for installing meters at every running auto-rickshaw and charging fares following the meter-reading. They also fixed a minimum rent and imposed a seven-point condition on the auto drivers.
According to the order, Tk 13.50 would be charged for a kilometre within the city area with the lowest fare fixed at Tk 15 whereas the seven-point condition included ban on tampering meters, carrying authorised identity cards, bindings to go to even the short distances, ensuring the use of meters and carrying all necessary documents like license, route permit, fitness certificate etc.
The CMP also cautioned that if any driver or CNG owner violated the rules, stern punitive measures like cancelling route permits and license, filing cases against the driver and the owner of the auto-rickshaw etc would be taken against the defaulters.
However, the unruly drivers in apparent violation of the directives are running their vehicles without meters and thereby collecting arbitrary fares from the passengers over the past nine years. The law-enforcers also remained indifferent to the anarchy created by the auto-drivers, sources concerned said.
They said around 20,000 CNG auto-rickshaws are now running in the port city. Drivers of the taxies also demanded extra charge from the passengers for travelling to and from any destination.
The drivers usually collect minimum Tk 140 to 150 from the passengers to go to Agrabad from New Market area whereas the distance of the said areas is hardly four kilometres.
The passengers alleged that the baby taxi drivers compelled them to pay extra fares as no meter was seen installed in the taxies here.
After withdrawal of the two-stroke baby taxies in 2002, the four-stroke CNG-run baby taxies were imported for Dhaka, Chittagong and other cities of the country.
As the baby taxies had been running in Chittagong without any meters of fare from the very beginning, drivers of those vehicles could charge a very high rate from the passengers during the last few years since introduction of the taxies in the port city.
As a ban remains in force regarding the movement of battery-run rickshaws in the port city, the baby taxi drivers and the rickshaw pullers are taking the opportunity and charging quite high which in turn is taking a heavy toll on the helpless passengers.
Hence, the city dwellers observed that the authorities concerned should take immediate step in this regard to rein in the unruly drivers and bring the situation immediately under control.
Drivers of the four-stroke CNG-run auto-rickshaws seem to have gone out of control in the port city as they are charging extra fare from the helpless passengers here at will following the government’s recent ban on movement of those vehicles on the highways.
The CNG-run four-stroke baby taxies are running on the city streets here without meters and charging arbitrary fares from the passengers this time on pretext of the ban.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) earlier in 2005 issued order for installing meters at every running auto-rickshaw and charging fares following the meter-reading. They also fixed a minimum rent and imposed a seven-point condition on the auto drivers.
According to the order, Tk 13.50 would be charged for a kilometre within the city area with the lowest fare fixed at Tk 15 whereas the seven-point condition included ban on tampering meters, carrying authorised identity cards, bindings to go to even the short distances, ensuring the use of meters and carrying all necessary documents like license, route permit, fitness certificate etc.
The CMP also cautioned that if any driver or CNG owner violated the rules, stern punitive measures like cancelling route permits and license, filing cases against the driver and the owner of the auto-rickshaw etc would be taken against the defaulters.
However, the unruly drivers in apparent violation of the directives are running their vehicles without meters and thereby collecting arbitrary fares from the passengers over the past nine years. The law-enforcers also remained indifferent to the anarchy created by the auto-drivers, sources concerned said.
They said around 20,000 CNG auto-rickshaws are now running in the port city. Drivers of the taxies also demanded extra charge from the passengers for travelling to and from any destination.
The drivers usually collect minimum Tk 140 to 150 from the passengers to go to Agrabad from New Market area whereas the distance of the said areas is hardly four kilometres.
The passengers alleged that the baby taxi drivers compelled them to pay extra fares as no meter was seen installed in the taxies here.
After withdrawal of the two-stroke baby taxies in 2002, the four-stroke CNG-run baby taxies were imported for Dhaka, Chittagong and other cities of the country.
As the baby taxies had been running in Chittagong without any meters of fare from the very beginning, drivers of those vehicles could charge a very high rate from the passengers during the last few years since introduction of the taxies in the port city.
As a ban remains in force regarding the movement of battery-run rickshaws in the port city, the baby taxi drivers and the rickshaw pullers are taking the opportunity and charging quite high which in turn is taking a heavy toll on the helpless passengers.
Hence, the city dwellers observed that the authorities concerned should take immediate step in this regard to rein in the unruly drivers and bring the situation immediately under control.
