Owners of CNG-run auto-rickshaws have threatened to go on a 36-hour strike from Tuesday if the lifespan of auto-rickshaws is not extended to 15 years.
Dhaka Metropolitan CNG Auto-rickshaw Owners’ Association issued the threat from a human chain organised in front of National Press Club in the capital on Saturday.
The announcement came hours after the CNG refuelling station owners' threat of an indefinite strike to meet their 7-point demand.
Barkat Ullah Bhulu, president of the organisation, said: “We got information from a credible source that the government is planning to keep condition for overhauling CNG engines at the 12th year.
“But, only six months are left to end the 12th year for overhauling engine. It is not possible to overhaul engines within such a short period of time."
He demanded the gazette in line with the Buet recommendation on the extension of CNG auto-rickshaw's lifespan.
In 2002, the government banned all two-stroke auto-rickshaws in urban areas and paved the way for four-stroke CNG-run three-wheelers, for which the lifespan was set at nine years.
Currently, there are around 13,000 commercially-run “green” auto-rickshaws and 3,000 private ones, usually painted grey, operating in the capital.
