Govt bans auto-rickshaws on highways after spate of recent accidents

The government has banned all auto-rickshaws from national highways across Bangladesh.

The Roads and Highways Department has taken the decision following recent deaths of many auto-rickshaw passengers after the three-wheelers were run over by heavy vehicles.
 
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader made the announcement after a meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday.
 
The number of local human haulers like Nosimon and Korimon had dropped following the government’s initiatives, he told reporters.
 
"But too many three-wheelers are plying the highways these days. That should not be the case. These auto-rickshaws are causing the accidents.
 
"Many of them have been involved in accidents, hit by heavier vehicles. So we are asking the auto-rickshaws to stay away from the highways,” Quader said.

The High Court last year had banned Bhotbhoti, Nosimon and Korimon from the southwestern highways after they had led to a number of crashes and deaths.
 
The government also took stern measures to implement that order.
 
But the number of auto-rickshaw-related accidents has gone up in the past several months, forcing the authorities to make the latest decision.
 
Collisions between heavy vehicles and auto-rickshaws on the highways have killed around 20 people in different districts since July 15.
 
After Wednesday’s meeting, Quader said the travel of Eid holidaymakers to home and return was unhampered than other times in the past.
 
“At least 50 people have died in crashes this time. Last year 90 people died. But this is not a matter of relief. Every death is an unrecoverable loss. These incidents are terrible.”
 
He said the flaws in the system identified through these accidents would be looked into before the Eid-ul-Azha. “We are preparing to take measures to ensure safe travels.”

“Witnesses and officials have told me that the accidents are mostly results of reckless driving. There is nothing wrong with the roads,” he said regarding the recent crashes on the west side of the Bangabandhu Bridge before and after the Eid holidays.
 
He said ‘Jarsey Barriers’ would be installed at four spots on that road as ‘quick response’ in the next two months to avoid further accidents and casualties.
 
The road minister asked the officials at the inter-ministerial meeting to ensure no cattle markets on or around the highways during the next Eid in September.
 
Quader said actions will be taken against the contractors who failed to repair the battered roads in time.