The initiative of mandatory meter use in CNG-run auto-rickshaws in Chittagong city fell flat yesterday as about half of the CNG auto-rickshaws have not installed meters yet.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday reiterated that no CNG-run auto-rickshaw could ply in the capital and port city without meter from yesterday.
The CNG auto-rickshaw drivers were given a deadline for calibration (installation of metres) till January 31 and the newly-fixed fares of CNG-run auto-rickshaws were scheduled to come into effect from yesterday in the port city.
While visiting different spots of the city, this reporter witnessed that the commuters locked into altercation with the CNG auto-rickshaw drivers over the newly-fixed fares.
The commuters alleged that the drivers were reluctant to carry passengers in line with the newly-fixed fares.
Meanwhile, the CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers alleged the police only took action against the registered auto-rickshaws for not installing meters.
“The long-distance commuters do not wish to go following meters,” said a CNG auto-rickshaw driver.
“We do not have any confidence in the meter since the drivers of the CNG auto-rickshaws tamper the meters in most cases,” said Salma Sultana, a teacher of BAF Shaheen College.
“Around 13,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws are registered to ply in the Chittagong metropolitan. However, 5,000 auto-rickshaws have so far installed meters. We hope that the rest of CNG auto-rickshaws will instal meters shortly due to the stern action,” said Mohammad Shahidullah, deputy director of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Chittagong.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Masud-ul-Hasan, deputy commissioner (traffic-north) of CMP said they had filed about 1,000 cases on the first for not installing meters in the CNG auto-rickshaws.
“We could not conduct drives in the morning as we did not want to make SSC examinees sufferers. However, we started our drives from noon and filed around 1,000 cases against the errant CNG auto-rickshaws,” said the CMP deputy commissioner.
Meanwhile, Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, secretary general of Passengers Welfare Association of Bangladesh said mandatory use of meter in CNG-run auto-rickshaws in Chittagong was destined to end in smoke.
“As per the BRTA, 13,000 CNG auto-rickshaws are permitted to ply in Chittagong city. Around 7,000 more CNG auto-rickshaws ply in the city without registration. However, so far as we know that half of the CNG auto-rickshaws were calibrated,” said Mozammel.
“The mandatory use of meter will become successful only when a monitoring body will be formed involving all stakeholders, including representatives of the commuters,” he added.
The new fare for CNG-run auto-rickshaws was fixed at Tk40 for the first two kilometres and Tk12 for each additional kilometre. The waiting charge for the CNG-run auto-rickshaws was fixed at Tk2 per minute.