Govt issues official order banning auto-rickshaws on highways from Aug 1

The government has issued an official order banning auto-rickshaws, locally made human-haulers and other non-mechanised vehicles on the national highways across Bangladesh from Aug 1.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader had earlier said the move was aimed at preventing road accidents.
 
Monday’s circular by the Road Transport and Highways Division came amid a threat of movement from the owners and drivers of auto-rickshaws.

It said the ban would be in effect on all national highways from Aug 1 to ensure road safety.

Bus owners and drivers have been demanding for such ban for a long time blaming the small vehicles for most of the accidents on the road.

The High Court last year banned local human haulers like Bhotbhoti, Nasiman and Kariman from the southwestern highways in 10 districts after they had led to a number of crashes and deaths.

The government had also taken stern measures to implement that order.

After a spate of road accidents before and after the Eid holidays, Minister Quader had announced the government’s decision to ban the auto-rickshaws on highways.

Auto-rickshaw operators on Sunday had demanded that the government call off the ban threatening a 'tough movement'.

They said the ban would harm hundreds of thousands of owners of auto-rickshaws and transport workers and their families.