CNG run auto-rickshaws will be allowed to access CNG filling stations along highways across the country for two hours, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
The minister said this while talking to officials of the four-lane highway project after a visit in Chowddagram, Comilla yesterday afternoon. Comilla Roads and Highways Department (RHD) Executive Engineer Muhamma Saif Uddin accompanied the minister during the visit.
Obaidul Quader said the auto-rickshaws cannot carry any passengers when on the highways, and added that they would only be allowed to go to the filling stations from 6am to 8am, adjacent to highways if there are no other such stations in the area. This rule will be effective for the 3,500 kilometres highways across the country.
All three-wheelers have been banned from plying on the highways of the country since August 1 as they have been causing a number of highway accidents. Since then drivers and owners of such three-wheelers have been protesting for removal of the ban.
The drivers-owners claim most of the CNG filling stations are adjacent to highways and asked how would they get the CNG for auto-rickshaws if they are not allowed on highways. After hearing these claims, the minister made this new decision.
Earlier, the minister at a programme in Chittagong city on Wednesday said the government would not compromise over decision of three-wheeler ban on highways.
He then said: “We have imposed ban on plying of three wheelers on only 3,000 kilometres highways across the country while the vehicles can run rest of 250,000 kilometres roads in the country. We will construct separate by-lanes for three wheelers and small vehicles in future.”
Amid sharp rise in road fatalities, the government clamped a ban on the movement of three-wheelers, auto-rickshaws and non-motorised vehicles on highways across the country with effect from August 1.
Protesting the decision, three wheelers owner-drivers called dawn-to-dusk strike in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Luxmipur, Noakhali and Feni districts on August 13.
Over 600 such vehicles have been fined and cases filed against 52 vehicles across the country from August 1 to 3 for plying on the highways, according to highway police.
Meanwhile, the Sylhet District Auto-rickshaw Shramik Union gave eight days ultimatum to the government to withdraw the ban.
The organisation made the announcement at a press conference in Sylhet Press Club yesterday afternoon.
President of the association Mohammad Jakaria in a written statement said if the government did not withdraw the ban, they would take to the street wearing shrouds.
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, a commuters’ association, found that 8,589 people had died in road accidents across the country in 2014, according to a study. The study said that road accidents caused nearly a death in an hour last year.