Traffic police move against battery-run rickshaws on major roads
Traffic police in Dhaka have launched drives against battery-run rickshaw in various parts of the city following the increased prevalence of three-wheelers on major roads after August 5.
The move has brought some relief to commuters, as the high-speed rickshaws have been causing accidents.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. At least two people — Tania Khanam, 35 and one and half-year-old Mira Sarker — have been killed in the last two days after being hit by battery-operated rickshaws in the Shahbagh and Mirpur areas respectively. Many others have been injured too.
This correspondent visited some major thoroughfares in Dhaka today, including Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Begum Rokeya Sarani and Shaheed Mansur Ali Sarak, and talked to a number of people in Dhanmondi, and Mirpur to know about the situation of rickshaws.
Traffic police were seen seizing battery operated rickshaws in several places including Ramna, Bangla Motor, Mirpur, and Dhanmondi.
The police personnel are either puncturing rickshaw tyres, keeping the drivers waiting for hours, or towing rickshaws for dumping.
The operations of rickshaws — both battery-run and pedal-operated — have become the new normal throughout the city, even though rickshaws are banned from plying on most major roads of Dhaka.
But ever since the student-led protests intensified, and especially after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, pedal and battery-run rickshaws are ruling city streets in full view of police.
Rickshaw-pullers started to completely flout the ban when Dhaka's traffic system collapsed amid the absence of police for around a week after the fall of the previous government.
While traffic police have been on the streets since August 12, they are largely limited to directing traffic, and are not enforcing laws.
But a couple of days ago, the traffic police started making rickshaw pullers and drivers aware that they are not to operate their vehicles on major roads.
A battery-operated rickshaw was seen fleeing from the Bangla Motor area around 11:15am. Talking to the Daily Star, he said he came on the important road as traffic police did not say anything beforehand.
"I will now drive the rickshaws in the feeder road," he said.
A traffic police official working at the area said they towed several rickshaws since morning.
In Mirpur 10, traffic police have been seeing puncturing tyres of battery-run-three wheelers.
Rakib Khan, deputy commissioner (traffic) of Mirpur Division said rickshaws, including battery-run rickshaws, have been swarming the roads after August 5.
Traffic police have started full-fledged operations now and are taking a soft approach to remove the battery-run rickshaws from the major roads in phases, using community engagement and including student volunteers from different educational institutions in the process, he said.
Mirpur traffic division announced over loud speakers yesterday not to operate battery run rickshaw on major roads.
"Today we are giving warning, sometimes stopping rickshaws for several hours. We are diverting the rickshaws to the feeder roads. We will apply the soft approach for a couple of days more before taking a hard line," Rakib Khan told The Daily Star today.
The traffic police officer said that they have a plan to clear the road from Mirpur 14 to Mirpur 1 first. The rest of the major roads in the division will be freed from rickshaws gradually.
A study carried out by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) in 2019 said Dhaka had over 11 lakh pedal rickshaws. Also, there were more than 2 lakh battery-run rickshaws in the city. However, since then, the number of battery-run rickshaws on major roads in the city have skyrocketed.
While police are taking steps against battery-run rickshaws, pedal rickshaws are still plying almost all city streets.
Traffic police officials said they will take action against the pedal rickshaws too but that will be after they remove battery-run rickshaws.
Comments