Leaders of the Bhola District Bus and Minibus Owner's Association have called for the strict enforcement of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) regulations to stop the operation of unauthorized passenger three-wheelers on the Bhola–Char Fasson highway and other national and regional highways in the district.
The demand was made at a press conference held at the Bhola Press Club on Thursday morning.
Reading out a written statement, the Association's General Secretary, Fazlur Rahman Bacchu Molla, said that the road from Bheduria Ferry Ghat to Ilisha Ferry Ghat is a national highway, while the 110-kilometre stretch from Poranganj to Dakshin Aicha in Char Fasson is classified as a regional highway. Under existing BRTA regulations, passenger three-wheelers, including CNG-run auto-rickshaws, are prohibited from operating on these highways. However, they alleged that such vehicles continue to ply the routes in violation of the law.
The association leaders claimed that although CNG auto-rickshaws are permitted to carry only three passengers, many are transporting up to five passengers at a time. They also alleged that reckless driving and overspeeding by these vehicles are contributing to frequent road accidents, resulting in deaths and leaving many people permanently injured.
The leaders further alleged that the BRTA has failed to take effective legal action against unauthorized three-wheelers operating on the highways. They warned that unless the existing laws are enforced without delay, road accidents and casualties are likely to increase further.
Speaking at the press conference, Association President Aminul Islam Khan, Vice Presidents Hasan Maksur Rahman and Humayun Kabir Selim, Joint General Secretary Muntasir Alam Chowdhury (Robin) and other leaders said that buses, minibuses, trucks and covered vans operate under regulated systems, whereas most three-wheelers remain outside any effective regulatory framework.
They urged the authorities to bring all passenger three-wheelers under the BRTA's regulatory framework and ensure strict enforcement of highway traffic laws in the interest of road safety and public welfare.
FP/A
