Disciplining three-wheelers
Passengers can't be at their mercy
According to a government decision, every CNG-run three-wheelers should carry passengers according to where they want to go. But they are bound to go by fare-meter.
Far from it, there has been repeated violation and flouting of rules by the three-wheeler operators. They have been openly refusing to go by meter and demanding exorbitant fare to any destination. Moreover, they are bluntly selective about places they prefer to go. The audacity of the defiant drivers has come to such a pass that the situation needs to be immediately remedied.
Mobile courts comprising the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Traffic) and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) jointly carry out drives against this mal-practice but only occasionally. The drive from January 16 until February 8 brought about some good results. More than a thousand cases were filed and nearly five lac taka was realized as penalty from the drivers. The team also seized forty three-wheelers and duped them. Since the exercise is not regular, violation continues to occur. Special drives, which now seem to be on hold, should be resumed soon.
Recently, the government increased the fare from Taka 14 for the first two kilometers to Taka 25 and Taka seven (previously Taka 6) for each subsequent kilometer. But things have hardly had any bearing on the owners and the drivers. The sufferings of the passengers continue. Drivers put up excuse that owners exact excess rental from them. Why should poor passengers be caught in the crossfire of differences between the operators and the owners? Drivers' issues with the owners seem to be endless! We wonder when all these will be resolved.
We call upon the authorities in the strongest terms to arrest this drift and take stringent measures against the errant drivers to make them abide by rules. Owners should also be brought under surveillance. Passengers cannot remain at the mercy of the drivers and the owners.
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