The CNG-run auto-rickshaw owners postponed their 72-hour strike in the capital yesterday, until June 9, after receiving an assurance from the government that it would meet their demands within the timeframe.
The postponement came at a meeting between officials of the Communications Ministry, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Dhaka Metropolitan CNG Auto-rickshaw Malik Samity Oikya Parishad, an association of the auto-rickshaw owners.
“The BRTA chairman assured us that our demands will be met within one week. So we decided to postpone the strike,” Barkat Ullah Bhulu, president of the Dhaka Metropolitan CNG Auto-rickshaw Malik Samity Oikya Parishad told the Dhaka Tribune.
He, however, warned that the strike will be enforced again after June 9 if their demands are not met within the timeframe.
On Tuesday, the metropolitan auto-rickshaw owners called the strike aiming to press home their three-point demands, including the implementation of the Buet recommendation for an extension of the economic lifespan of the three wheelers.
The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) recommended extending the lifespan of auto-rickshaws from the existing 11years to 15 years.
On Tuesday, the government and the CNG auto-rickshaw owners, however, made confusing statements about the withdrawal of the strike.
The ministry and the BTRA held a meeting at the ministry on Tuesday evening with a section of leaders of the Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation, in an effort to put an end to the strike.
Following the meeting, BRTA Chairman Nazrul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that the leaders of the auto-rickshaw owners assured them that they would suspend the strike from Tuesday evening.
But when contacted, Barkat Ullah Bhulu said none of their members were present at the meeting and there would be no withdrawal of their strike until their demands were met.
“The ministry did not contact us and we had neither suspended nor withdrawn the strike, he said, adding, “If the government meets our demands, we will withdraw the strike.”
The government banned all two-stroke auto-rickshaws in urban areas in 2002 giving permission to run the four-stroke CNG-run three-wheelers instead.
The lifespan of the three wheelers was first set for nine years, but was later extended to 11 in compliance with a strong demand from the auto-rickshaw owners’ association.
Nearly 13,000 CNG-run three-wheelers are now operating in the city and the economic lifespan of an auto-rickshaw is currently eleven and a half years.
A circular issued by the Communications Ministry on Tuesday said the vehicles’ lifespan had been increased, on condition, to 15 years instead of 11, following recommendations from the Buet.
Barkat Ullah Bhulu said: “The government published the gazette on the condition that the auto-rickshaw owners must overhaul the three-wheelers engines in their 12th year.
“But only six months are left till end of the 12th year and it is not possible to overhaul the engines within this time.”
Barkat Ullah Bhulu demanded that the gazette be revised in accordance with the Buet recommendations for the extension of the existing CNG-run Auto-rickshaws’ lifespan.