Auto-rickshaw workers plan movement for separate lanes on highways
Dhaka: Drivers and workers of auto-rickshaws and auto-tempos are planning to launch a fresh movement to realise their demand for creating separate lanes and by-lanes on highways for the movement of their vehicles.
The operation of all modes of CNG-run auto-rickshaws and auto-tempos on the country's highways remained suspended since August 1, 2015, as the government imposed a ban following some deadly accidents.
Leaders of Bangladesh Autorickshaw - Autotempo Transport Workers Federation (BAATWF) said this ban has ultimately put the owners and drivers of such small auto-vehicles into a dire strait as they have been struggling to deal with huge financial burdens for survival.
"Following the ban our incomes have drastically fallen as we can't operate our vehicles on highways. But many of the owners and drivers have bought such vehicles through borrowing from banks, NGOs and relatives. Due to the fall in our income, now we can't repay our loan installments," said BAATWF general secretary Golam Faruk.
He said when the ban was imposed on the auto-rickshaws on highways their drivers were assured by the government that the ban was not permanent one, and there will be separate lanes or by lanes on the highways to facilitate their smooth operation.
"But in last one and half years, no such move was taken on the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways. Now, we're losing our confidence in the government's assurance," Faruk told UNB.
He claimed there are 300,000 auto-rickshaws and auto-tempos across the country generating jobs for nearly one million people. The families of 6 million people are dependent on their incomes. "Now all these people have been suffering a lot due to the drastic fall in their income," he added.
"We're now off the highways. But the rate of accidents did not decline," he said referring to a study report of Buet's Accident Research Institute (ARI) which found that small vehicles are responsible for only 15-20 percent of total accidents.
Faruk alleged that drivers of auto-rickshaws and auto-tempos are now being frequently harassed by police following the ban.
He noted that drivers can't go to highways even to refuel their vehicles. "If any driver comes on highways to refuel vehicle or to renew its fitness from BRTA office, police seize the vehicles. They have to spend Tk 5000-7000 as bribe for having the vehicle released from police," he alleged.
BAATWF President Rezaul Islam said they submitted a 'petition' to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on January 24 this year to consider their appeal to create separate lanes or by lanes on the national highways to allow them to ply considering their sufferings.
"We've submitted similar petition to the Communication Ministry, BRTA and Police Department as well," he noted.
Sources said the BAATWF has recently discussed its plan in its executive committee meeting for a possible movement to realise its demand for creating lanes or by-lanes on the highways.
It has decided to start a mass campaign in favour of its demand which will be launched during the coming May Day celebration and then go gradually for an all-out movement.