Sarwar Jahan Jewel Mymensingh: Battery-powered auto-rickshaw drivers are on an indefinite strike demanding permission to ply on all roads in Mymensingh city. This has caused extreme suffering to the city residents and passengers. On Monday (January 27) morning, it was seen that people were helpless walking to their destinations due to the lack of auto-rickshaws on the roads. Some are having to pay 2/3 times more for rickshaw fares. Owners and auto-rickshaw drivers are reluctant to accept the administration’s initiatives to resolve the city’s traffic congestion. The administration must take legal action to stop collecting additional rickshaw fares by holding people hostage.
A job seeker named Mamunur Rashid said, “I went to work by rickshaw at double the fare in the morning after not getting an auto-rickshaw. There needs to be a fair solution to this.” Middle-aged Saidul Islam was walking from Patgudam Bridge to Charpara intersection. He said, the demands of the auto-rickshaw drivers are unreasonable. If they are allowed to drive on all roads, severe traffic jams will arise again. Meanwhile, since the auto-rickshaws are closed, the rickshaw drivers have increased the fare. So, I am walking to my destination.
Autorickshaw driver Ashiqur Rahman said, the strike is causing financial losses. My pockets are empty because my cars are not working. I will not be able to go to the market today. Still, we are protesting to get our demands met. General Secretary of the District Auto Bike Owners Welfare Association Md. Hossain Ahmed Sujan said, the strike was observed on January 19 to demand permission to drive on all roads. On that day, the district administration and the city corporation offices were surrounded and protested. But as the district administration remained steadfast in their decision, the drivers and owners have stopped all battery-powered autorickshaws for an indefinite period. If our demands are not met, a stricter program will be launched.
Some of the victims say that it is the need of the hour to introduce minibus town service in the city. There are many more battery-powered autorickshaws in the city than on the road. To reduce the number of battery-powered autorickshaws, their licenses need to be cancelled. Many have expressed their opinion that then the traffic congestion in the city will decrease.
In this regard, Mymensingh City Corporation Secretary and Acting Chief Executive Officer Sumana Al Majeed said, “Recently, the City Corporation and the district administration decided to stop auto rickshaws on six specific roads in the city to reduce traffic congestion. This angered the drivers. They are going on strike without thinking about the suffering of the public. Necessary decisions will be taken after discussing the matter. Earlier, the drivers protested by stopping auto rickshaws in the city from Sunday (January 26) morning. Later, in the evening, they held a protest procession and held a rally at the Mymensingh Railway Krishnachura square. From there, it was announced that the battery-powered auto rickshaws would be stopped for an indefinite period.
