98pc port city auto-rickshaws flouting mandatory fare meters

About 98 percent of CNG-run auto-rickshaws are still charging passengers based on contracts in the port city though the use of fare meters was made mandatory in early last month, revealed a field visit by the Chittagong regional committee of Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association (BPWA).

About 85 percent of auto-rickshaw drivers do not want to go to passengers' desired destinations, and about 87 drivers demand Tk20 to Tk40 as tips from passengers, according to the association's statement.   

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Contacted, Md Mozammel Huq Chowdhury, president of BPWA Chittagong regional committee, said that a 12-member team of the association went on a field visit at five important spots including Bahaddarhat, Shah Amanat Bridge, Kalurghat, Chawkbazar and Lal Dighir Par yesterday and observed the plying of CNG-run auto-rickshaws on fare meters between 10:00am and 2:00pm.

The team found no meters in about 33 percent of auto-rickshaws, he said, adding that the survey was conducted among 362 auto-rickshaw drivers and 384 passengers. Asked, Deputy Commissioner (traffic-north) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police Masud-ul Hasan said they were taking actions against the violators, and urged passengers to file complaints about violation of rules irregularities by drivers.

Meanwhile, drivers of  three-wheel human haulers went on a sudden strike yesterday in the city, protesting a attack on Nazrul Islam, general secretary of Dewanhat Tempo Sramik Union, on Saturday night by unidentified miscreants and demanding a stop to plying of "illegal" four-wheelers on the Chawkbazar-Barik Building route, said Md Abdul Gafur, organising secretary of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation's Chittagong regional committee.

The strike wrought huge sufferings to passengers on this route. Visiting Kazir Dewry area around 2:00pm, this correspondent found many passengers waiting for the human haulers to reach their respective destinations. Finding no such vehicles, they were forced to ride rickshaws and CNG-run auto-rickshaws by paying extra fares. "About 100 human haulers ply the route", said Gafur, adding "they would resume plying from today, as per usual."