Killing 'Nasimon' and 'Karimon'!
The Home Ministry, based on the ill advice of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, has promptly banned these two popular diesel engined three-wheeler! It is sad, to ignore this interesting development built by rural talent that is a very useful transport hauler.
The only weakness in the design of these vehicles that I could see during my short stay in a village in Satkhira during this Eid, is a high centre of gravity and inadequate braking device. Instead of banning it, it would have been prudent to advise BUET to help in modifying the vehicle and incorporate these improvements; which are quite possible. Alongside this, measures could be taken to have these vehicles registered, install simple front and rear lights based on a bicycle type dynamo. Further drivers of these vehicles could be properly trained and licensed to prevent all and sundry, often young kids, from operating these vehicles! By simply banning it, we have only created a hindrance, without trying to help the rural people who have improvised the vehicle by modifying and powering the village flat bed tricycle that was very popular earlier, and has now been replaced by these engine driven three-wheelers.
Poor 'Nasim' and 'Karim' who perhaps built these ingenious vehicles, instead of being helped, have been discouraged no end! As an engineer (ex BUET), I would appeal to our "Powers that Be" to please look at the positive contribution of this useful vehicle that can be modified to make it safe. It would be an interesting challenge to senior class Mechanical Engineering students of BUET, I am sure; and the problems can be removed!
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