Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has proposed to replace rickshaws in the capital’s streets with “commercial motorcycles” – or motorcycle taxis – to reduce traffic congestion.
DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed brought up the proposal at a meeting of National Road Safety Council, presided by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, at a city hotel on Sunday.
“Controlling Dhaka’s traffic has become very difficult, and without banning rickshaws in the city, it is not possible to improve the traffic system. We believe replacing rickshaws with commercial motorcycles on the city streets could help ease the traffic congestion,” the DMP Commissioner said at the meeting.
Earlier, the DMP sent the proposal to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) in November, asking to ban rickshaws in the capital and introduce commercial motorcycles as an alternative means of transport.
Commercial motorcycle is a licensed form of transport in many countries in the world, including India, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Sweden, the UK and the US.
The DMP offered to run an experiment at Pragati Sarani – the stretch of road between Bishwaroad and Rampura – to see if commercial motorcycles could be a viable replacement of rickshaws.
“As a trial, 10,000 motorcycles will be introduced in selected areas in the capital. We think Pragati Sarani will be perfect for the experiment, as most of the residents in the area are heavily dependent on rickshaws for public transportation.”
BRTA Chairman Nazrul Islam, who was also present at the meeting, said: “We did receive a proposal from the DMP about allowing commercial motorcycles to run in the capital, replacing rickshaws. However, we cannot allow it as it is not permitted by law, and the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry can allow it through a guideline.”
However, the DMP commissioner did not explain how the elderly people were supposed to commute via motorcycles, or passengers with luggages.
In Bangladesh, at most two people are allowed to ride a single motorcycle. So, when asked how a family was supposed to travel via motorcycle, the DMP commissioner said: “In that case, each family member will have to hire a motorcycle.”
The road transport and bridges minister did not give any instruction regarding the proposal at the meeting.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, BRTA Secretary Muhammad Showkat Ali reiterated the BRTA chairman’s statement. “Motorcycles as a public transport is not legal in the country. So, in order to make it legal, the ministry will have to issue an order in this regard,” he said.
