The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), according to a recent media report, is likely to launch 'a crackdown' on CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs in the capital city with a view to ensuring smooth running of the vehicles so that a section of drivers cannot charge extra fare and do not decline to go to destinations desired by passengers. The decision of taking of tough actions against the violators of the charted-fare was taken following the failure of the mobile courts conducted suddenly by the road transport authority from time to time as reported quoting the BRTA chairman. In this regard, the BRTA chairman very rightly said : 'There is no other way left to check the whims of the drivers of the 3-wheelers and taxicabs as they have gone out of control. The CNG-run auto-rickshaw and taxicab drivers still charge extra and additional fares from their passengers and refuse to go to their desired destinations although the government has increased fare of the 3-wheelers.

In April this year, the interim government raised the fare of CNG-run auto-rickshaw with effect from May 1 with a commitment by the drivers and owners that they would oblige passengers by running their vehicles to all destinations and on meter fare. The BRTA-run mobile courts have failed to check the whims of drivers even after sentencing many of them to jail and imposing fine. According to the media report, at least 20 CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers were jailed in last few months and a number of them fined along with cancellation of route permits temporarily of seven auto-rickshaws, but still the government-charted fare is being flouted deliberately by an unruly section of the drivers.

There was no known move or attempt till early years of this new millennium when the past alliance government introduced meter fare for both CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs phasing out two-stroke 'baby-taxies' responsible for air pollution. Though the mode of charging fare was changed the drivers remaining the same could not give up their chaotic habit of defying rules as many of them taking political advantage at the fag end of the last elected government started charging more and extra fare showing total disrespect to meter fare. It is worth noting that during the pre-liberation period when Dhaka, even as capital city of the then East Pakistan province, used to enjoy smooth running of auto-rickshaws and taxicabs on meters. After Bangladesh emerged as an independent country, operators of auto-rickshaws and taxicabs turned chaotic as people having political clout controlled them and started defying the meter system in an organised way and made passengers their hostage in charging whimsical fares. Dhaka is now a mega city and their smooth running is more required than before. There are around 13,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws and 10,000 taxicabs according to BRTA. The government should enforce the charted-fare for hassle-free travel of city dwellers.