Sylhet Bureau :
Chandipool area of South Surma in Sylhet, several illegal CNG-powered autorickshaw stands have been set up occupying both sides of a three-way road. Autorickshaws leave for different upazilas from these stands on both sides of the road. Passengers are parked on the road and picked up and dropped off at random. As a result, severe traffic jams are created in the area. This has increased the suffering of city-bound people.
It is learned that a class of unscrupulous groups are collecting extortion by occupying both sides of the important road by setting up multiple illegal CNG-powered autorickshaw stands. As a result, the busy road is narrowing and creating traffic jams. Passengers, drivers and pedestrians are suffering.
After the change of government on August 5, some influential leaders of the Sramik Dal have occupied the road at the shelter of a leader of the Krishak Dal in the area and set up CNG-powered autorickshaw stands as they please. Extortion is being collected from the vehicles parked at each stand on a daily basis.
On the ground, it can be seen that several illegal stands for CNG-powered autorickshaws have been set up on both sides of the three-way road at Chandipool, the entrance to Sylhet city. Illegal stands for CNG-powered autorickshaws have been set up on both sides of the road from the road in front of the Kushiyara Convention Hall to South Surma Degree College. Drivers are occupying the road in front of the CNG pump to the Northeast Medical College just opposite the road and are picking up and dropping passengers as they please. This is causing traffic jams on that busiest road. The common people are suffering. In addition, cars are parked in front of South Surma Degree College to pick up and drop passengers. Because of the CNG and other vehicles, it seems like a car market has been set up on both sides of the road. A fee of 20 to 40 taka is collected from each CNG-powered autorickshaw at these stands.
It is known that more than 5-7 thousand CNG-powered autorickshaws ply on various regional roads from the city. A fee of several lakh taka is collected from these autorickshaws every day. If a driver refuses to pay the toll, his serial number is cancelled. If anyone protests, he is beaten up and harassed by the traffic police, including filing a case. When we tried to talk to some of the toll collectors, none of them agreed to talk.
CNG drivers said that every time they pick up and drop off passengers, their people take a toll of 20 taka in the name of the labor union on the instructions of the labor union.
A driver named Kasem said, ‘Two people are in charge at each stand and fix the serial number of the vehicle along with collecting the toll. If the toll is not paid, they are harassed.’
Sylhet district branch president of the CNG-powered autorickshaw workers’ union, Md. Zakaria Ahmed, told that ‘There have been 27 autorickshaw stands in Sylhet for about 40-50 years. Although these are not approved, it can be said that they are mostly approved. Earlier, there was a separate signboard for the stand, but the traffic department removed it two years ago to make it permanent. Despite repeated appeals to the City Corporation and Traffic, there is no solution. If a permanent arrangement is made, such stands will not be built everywhere.
