The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) today declared Uber, an app-based taxi service, illegal as the company did not take permission from authorities concerned for running such business in the country.

Earlier on Tuesday, Uber, a popular taxi-hailing mobile application, launched its operation in Dhaka promising to bring a change in the commuting experience in the busy capital.

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“We welcome such initiatives, but none took any permission from the authority,” BTRA Director (engineering) Nurul islam told The Daily Star today.

“We searched for the authority or representative of the company in Bangladesh, but could not find any here,” he said adding that: “We will lodge a case against the company under Taxicab Service Guideline and Motor Vehicle Rules of the country if it continues its operation.”

The BRTA, in its notice published on different newspapers today, said that operating any taxicab service without permission from BRTA or the government is fully unfair, illegal and punishable offence.

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“Taxicabs are operated under the ‘Taxicab Service Guideline, 2010’. Any company seeking to operate taxicab service would have to obtain permission from the Road Transport and Bridges department. The vehicles which run as rent-a-car have also to be registered and the BRTA assigned a different series (Pa/Cha) for the registration,” the notice said.

“Besides, according to rule no. 162 of the Transport Guidelines, any rent-a-car or run-on-fare vehicles must have different colour (Black body and yellow top) and route permits in accordance with article no. 51 of Transport Ordinance 1983,” the notice said.

Online taxi service Uber is being operated illegally, the notice said, adding that the service is strictly against the transport rules and regulations of the country.

Therefore, the authority requested the owners of Uber and the drives of the vehicles not to engage in such illegal activities. Otherwise, strict legal actions will be taken against them, the notice said.