In view of the recent deaths in highway road crashes, a government body today "banned" CNG auto-rickshaws from plying on highways.

The committee however does not have the authority to take such decision, according to a high official of the road transport and bridges ministry.

The decision came this afternoon at a meeting of a monitoring cell that was deputed to ensure smooth plying of holidaymakers during Eid.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader chaired the meeting.

There is already an existing highway ban on shallow-engine driven easy bikes, Nosimon, Korimon, Bhatbhai and similar vehicles, but only in the papers.

To check road accidents and loss of lives, the government took repeated decisions over the past seven years to keep these vehicles off the highways. But its implementation is shabby till date.