Ban on CNG auto-rickshaw on highways needs cautious move

THE government has imposed ban on the movement of CNG run auto-rickshaws and other non-motorized vehicles on the highways from yesterday (August 1) on initiative by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority. Police have been asked to enforce the ban from early last morning. But field level reports said chaos and organized resistance by CNG drivers and operators of non-motorized vehicles have made the initiative controversial on the very first day of the ban. CNG drivers have vandalized vehicles in the outskirt of the Dhaka city and similar incidents were also reported from the districts. As it appears, it is a highly sensitive issue in which safety of life for long distance passengers in the highways is dominating the consideration in one hand while the livelihood of several lakhs auto-rickshaw drivers and such other small vehicles is also at a high stake on the other.
As we see there is no difference of opinion on banning small human haulers like Nosimon, Korimon etc from the highways, they often cause accidents killing people on the spot. The ban on CNG run auto-rickshaws is also positive to stop using the highways to long distance destinations. But it may be quite difficult for them to stop coming on the highways altogether to move from one feeder road to another using the highways at least for small distance. They can’t also stop coming to the CNG filling stations on the highways. These are some practical problems and CNG drivers hold the view that without such facilities available locally, they can’t be forced to stay out of the highways. Moreover, they can’t abandon their right to livelihood at the local level.
It appears that strict enforcement of the ban on CNG run auto-rickshaws on the highway may face real problems. On the other hand, their free movement on the highways is often causing accidents. What may be advisable in this situation is that the government may apply the ban selectively on experimental basis at certain section of the highways away from business centers while at others such vehicles may use the highways to reach the next feeder road to run passengers through local roads.
It can’t be denied that CNG run auto-rickshaws and such other motorized vehicles now play key role to carrying passengers in rural areas to bring them to district headquarters and other business centers. So the ban may be a alright decision but practically needs more selective use and cautions move so that anrchy does not spread on the highways. Meanwhile, the authorities must take effective steps so that law enforcers can’t resort to toll collection from CNG drivers to allow them use the highways under certain local arrangement.
We must say CNG run auto-rickshaws alone is not responsible for accidents in the highways although they create enough chaos. The highest responsibility for accidents in the highways lies with the incompetence of the highways authorities who are failing to maintain the roads and highways and keep them pothole free in rainy season. Police have also no control over reckless driving which was responsible for killing of hundreds of people during the just concluded Eid holidays.