Gazipur's Dhaka-Tangail highway is one of the busiest highways in the country. Millions of North Bengal-bound commuters go home through this highway during Eid and return to their workplaces after the holidays. After the widening of the highway, the passengers of North Bengal have been spared from the severe traffic jams. However, passengers and long-distance car drivers are in trouble due to the presence of auto-rickshaws on this highway. Those concerned say that if these illegal auto-rickshaws are not removed from the highway soon, major accidents may occur and innocent lives may be lost.
Searching the highway, it can be seen that these illegal auto-rickshaws are roaming in Kharajoro, Chandra, Pallibidyut, Ansar Academy, Safipur, Mouchak and other areas of Kaliakair Upazila of Gazipur. The highway has been occupied by their parking place. It can be seen that the auto-rickshaws are passing in front of the big long-distance vehicles. Auto rickshaw drivers move at high speed when the highway is empty. Which will beat the speed of the motorcycle. Again, auto-rickshaws are moving freely along the opposite lane on the road. Due to which road accidents can happen at any time.
Even before this, auto-rickshaw accidents have claimed many lives on this highway, authorities stated. All these auto rickshaw drivers cannot be stopped even with lawsuits and fines.
According to the demand of the auto-rickshaw drivers, several small and big temporary markets have been installed on the service line and on the footpaths from Chandra to Mouchak on this highway. Due to these markets, they are forced to take auto-rickshaws on the highway. They also said that they are running auto-rickshaws on the highway with the help of police, highway police, local brokers. Not only auto-rickshaws, many other illegal vehicles such as CNG and other three wheelers are also seen on this highway. Sometimes the highway police conduct raids and take the auto-rickshaws to the Konabari highway police station and file a case of Tk 2600 there. Along with this, 10 days of auto-rickshaw driving permit is handed over there. Also Chandra Highway Police gives a paper of permit for 2000 Tk, some three wheeler drivers mentioned. A few auto-rickshaw drivers said that they can drive auto-rickshaws on the highway if they have that paper.
A few auto-rickshaw drivers said that if they pay 2 thousand taka to local authorities, they get permission to drive auto-rickshaws on the highway. But some say in angry voice, if auto-rickshaw is illegal, then why auto-rickshaw was brought to Bangladesh? And if the auto-rickshaw cannot be driven on the highway, then why it is not completely closed? Why is the auto-rickshaw is released after giving money?
Auto rickshaw driver Farhan said that Konabari metro police will dump these vehicles for three months. Local authorities take Tk 10 to 100 in cash. 2600 taka is fine if someone is caught by the highway police. Where do we go?
Auto-rickshaw driver Shah Alam said, we will not take the highway. Allow auto-rickshaws to ply on the side roads then. If we go the wrong way on the road, we are given a case of 26oo Tk. A message of 10 days is given, but 10 days cannot be executed. The police took the rickshaw again the next day.
According to some passengers, auto-rickshaws increase accidents on highways, so when asked why they travel by auto-rickshaws, they say that auto-rickshaws are convenient to travel. There may be risks, but we still have to go to our destination. And the bus does not drop us where we want to get off. But the auto-rickshaw drops us at the desired destination. So we take the risk of auto rickshaws on the highway.
In response to the question that auto-rickshaws are increasing the risk of death of passengers on the highway, Additional IGP and Chief of Highway Police Shahabuddin Khan said that auto-rickshaws will not ply on the highway. For this, there are instructions in the High Court, even our ministry has instructions. But we are working throughout the year to stop auto-rickshaws on the highway.
Last year, one lakh prosecutions were given for auto-rickshaw violations. We are making them aware, we are educating them locally. Number of auto-rickshaws are now much less on highways. We have also increased vigilance for those who return home on Eid and may return to work after Eid. Hope the auto-rickshaws will not cause any problem.
