Legal notice seeks ban over plying of easybikes, autorickshaws on main roads, flyovers

Legal notices have been served on the authorities concerned seeking ban on plying battery-powered autorickshaws and easybikes on major roads and flyovers across the country.

Supreme Court lawyer Bahauddin Al Imran sent the notice in the public interest.

The notice also sought directions over taking necessary action in this regard.

Copies of the notice have been sent to the secretaries for local government, rural development and cooperatives, power, energy and mineral resources, home affairs, inspector general of police and Bangladesh Power Development Board chairman.

Citing media reports, the notice said: "There has been an increase in the uncontrolled movement of auto and battery-powered rickshaws across the country. Earlier, these rickshaw pullers used to ply on sub-roads, but nowadays these rickshaw pullers are creating anarchy on roads and highways and even on flyovers. The normal movement of people or other vehicles on the road is being disturbed by the negligence of these untrained drivers. Without obeying any rules and regulations, they are passing passengers from side to side on the road at will. Traffic police members are struggling to stop these drivers as they do not have license or valid documents.”

It further states: "On November 10, a report on road accidents across the country has been published by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). According to the report, out of 405 road accidents across the country in October this year, 12 people died in van accidents, one person in tractor accidents, 14 people in easy bike accidents, 18 people in battery-powered rickshaw accidents, 34 people in auto rickshaw accidents. In other words, a total of 66 people lost their lives in easybike, battery-powered rickshaw and auto-rickshaw accidents in October alone. Apart from this, although hundreds of people were injured by these rickshaws, it was not possible to bring it up in the report, said the BRTA authorities."

The notice says: “Batteries used in autorickshaws or easybikes are electricity dependent. Its battery needs to be charged several times a day. Thousands of garages have been built illegally to charge batteries. Electricity is being wasted while charging batteries on these illegal lines. As a result, the government is struggling to provide uninterrupted power supply across the country at present. Therefore, within three days of receiving the notice, the receivers have been requested to take necessary measures to stop the movement of easybikes, battery operated rickshaws and autorickshaws on the main roads and flyovers. Otherwise, a writ petition will be filed in this regard."