The High Court in January issued a rule, asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why their inaction to stop improvised three-wheelers, known as Nasimon, Karimon and Votvoti (locally-made or assembled three-wheelers) from plying the highways across Bangladesh should not be declared illegal.
Besides, the HC ordered taking necessary steps to stop Nasimon, Karimon and Votvoti from plying the highways in 10 districts--Bagerhat, Narail, Satkhira, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Magura, Kushtia, Jhenaidah, Khulna and Jashore--in the southwestern region few years back. Deputy Inspector General of Highway police and superintendents of police in the 10 districts have been asked to implement the directives. It also ordered the government to take measures to stop movement of these unauthorised vehicles on highways in other districts of the country.
Operation
of such
slow-moving vehicles alongside speedy
vehicles on highways often
causes accidents
The court directed the government to take legal action against those who will run such poorly engineered locally-made vehicles on the highways, defying the ban. But the fact is that unauthorised vehicles, especially locally-made battery-run rickshaw, easy-bike, shallow engine-driven Nasimon and Karimon, continue plying different streets in the capital and other parts of the country under the very nose of the authorities concerned, leading to road accidents, according to media reports.
These types of vehicles also run on national and regional highways, allegedly paying toll to some dishonest local political leaders and policemen on a monthly basis. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader admitted that the number of deaths in road accidents increased due to movement of illegal three-wheelers on highways.
