A political stunt?
Barishal City Corporation (BCC) is set to allow easy-bikes on the streets of Barishal city. The decision came after the High Court's recent withdrawal of the ban on battery-run three-wheelers.
However, police and BRTA authorities, those responsible for issuing licences, have not received any instructions in this regard yet.
BCC administrative officer Swapan Kumar Das said about 2,600 yellow easy-bikes were licensed some five or six years ago.
"However, they are no longer licensed. The city corporation is currently surveying in this regard," said the BCC official.
According to BCC sources, the city corporation does not know the exact number of three-wheelers currently running, but the approximate number could be around 8,000 to 10,000.
This correspondent recently visited Bangabandhu Udyan in Barishal and saw that members of the Auto Workers Welfare Organisation, supported by the BCC mayor, were distributing serial stickers among the drivers.
Afzal Hossain Majumder, vice-president of the organisation, said the mayor announced at a workers' meeting that the battery-run three-wheelers would be allowed on the streets again, as the HC lifted the ban.
BCC Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah said, "As the ban on easy-bikes has been lifted, I have said that they will be allowed to operate in the city. However, I'm not issuing any licence."
However, Sheik Md Selim, assistant commissioner of Barishal Metropolitan Police, said, "We have not yet received any official documents containing the instruction to allow easy-bike movement on the streets."
BRTA assistant director in Barishal Shah Alam echoed him.
"I do not understand how the city corporation is allowing this. Many think that with the upcoming elections, the mayor wants to use this issue to gain some political advantage," said Shah Alam.
Meanwhile, the mayor-backed organisation and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD)-backed "Battery-Powered Rickshaw and Easy-bike Driver Sangram Parishad" are planning to hold a meeting in this regard.
BSD member secretary Dr Manisha Chakraborty said the HC lifted the ban on battery-powered easy-bikes on December 15, last year, responding to a petition filed by the workers.
"But the way the city corporation is implementing the three-wheeler movement for political gain seems extremely dubious," she said.
"From the looks of it, they plan to bring in more workers under their organisation. It is immoral. This entire ordeal should be brought under one policy licensed through BRTA," she added.
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