The law enforcement agencies are yet to take any action against the agency which is facilitating the privately-owned auto-rickshaws to run commercially in the city streets without permission.
The High Court on May 14 this year asked the authorities concerned to explain in three weeks why they should not be directed to take legal action against privately-owned CNG-run auto-rickshaws running commercially in the city streets without permission.
According to a New Age report a news agency named National News Collection Foundation, in return for a monthly fee, provides ‘papers’ to the owners or drivers of around 200 three-wheelers, which the agency says allows them to operate commercially.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s joint commissioner (traffic) Mahbubur Rahman told New Age on Sunday that they had taken action according to the court order.
‘We have dumped at the Agargaon dumping ground these privately-owned auto-rickshaws which were running commercially,’ he said, adding that about 65 to 80 cases had been lodged against owners and drivers of these vehicles on average every day.
About the agency, Mahbubur Rahman said it was not his department’s duty to take action against this agency but of the crime department.
New Age has obtained from a driver copies of documents which the National News Collection Foundation had given him. These comprised a photocopy of two applications, an agency request letter and a leaflet which contained comments of some politicians and newsmen.
An application, submitted to the police headquarters on March 27 this year, said it had sought approval to run the foundation’s auto-rickshaws commercially to operate the development work relating to a newspaper museum.
The application has been attested by the assistant inspector general (equipment and transport) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam.
Shafiqul Islam, however, told New Age on Sunday that the agency did
not receive any approval from the police headquarters.
‘We informed the DMP of this agency and they will take against this agency,’ he added.
The DMP joint commissioner (crime and operations), Mohammad Ibrahim Khaledi, could not be reached over phone.
According to BRTA officials, there were in total of about 13,000 green-painted CNG-run auto-rickshaws operating commercially in the city with the authority’s permission.
BRTA gave registration to 223 grey-painted privately-owned auto-rickshaws and the registration clearly cites that these vehicles should not be run commercially, said the official.