The CMP traffic department took the decision on displaying the drivers' identity at a meeting on July 16 with the associations of owners and drivers of CNG-run auto-rickshaws as the incidents of mugging using the three wheelers are on the rise recently.

As per the decision, the drivers will display their identity in detail on a laminated paper in front of the passengers' seat in all the 13,000 CNG-run auto rickshaws by July 21.

It has proved effective in serving the purpose as it already has helped police to trace out some muggers who committed the crimes using a three-wheeler on August 5.

The laminated identity contains driver and owner's names and their present and permanent addresses and contact numbers, their dates of birth, number of driving licence and phone numbers of police control room and traffic control room, sources said.

The owners will sign the chart along with the above mentioned information and inscribe phone numbers of both the police control room and the traffic control room on the front and back sides of the auto-rickshaws, said Assistant Commissioner (North) Md Mostak Ahmed of the traffic department.

About 40 incidents of mugging using CNG-run auto-rickshaws occurred in the port city last month.

In many of these cases, the drivers allegedly had link with the muggers, sources said.

Ashikul Hoque Bhuiyan, assistant commissioner (AC) of detective branch, said in some cases the passengers fell victim to mugging when the drivers slowed down or stopped their vehicles at an isolated area in the name of mechanical glitch only to help the criminals apparently in a pre-planned way.

The muggers use CNG-run auto-rickshaws to escape easily after committing the crime that on many occasions on the busy streets causes accidents injuring the victims.

The muggers strangled Prity Ranjan Chakma, a motor vehicle inspector of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), on July 19 while he was going to Colonel Hat from Bohoddarhat in an auto-rickshaw.

But, many auto-rickshaws are yet to display the identity chart ignoring the decision.

Two incidents of mugging took place even after introduction of the identity chart. The muggers snatched away Tk 2 lakh from a shrimp trader in Saraipara area in the port city on August 2 and Tk 2 lakh from an account assistant of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC)-run CNG Filling Station in Wasa area on August 5.

The muggers of the August 5 incident could be traced out due to introduction of new system.

Meanwhile, the traffic police launched a drive against the auto-rickshaws without identity chart on July 23 and filed over 4000 cases so far, said Md Iltut Mish, AC (Traffic).

Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) Mohammad Ali Miah said, "The passengers would have to bit careful to avoid such a crime and help arrest the muggers."

He called upon the passengers to see the identity chart immediately after getting on the auto-rickshaws and inform the police if they sense any incident of mugging.