Petrol-run train-like palki!

Amir Hossain in front of his newly devised petrol-run vehicle which looks like a train but serves the purpose of traditional palki. PHOTO: STAR

A newly devised petrol-run vehicle, combining the artistic beauty of traditional palki with the look of an earlier type train, has become a talk of the town.
Amir Hossain, 50, a famous mechanic of Bogra, has made the vehicle at his Rahim Engineering Workshop at Dharmapur in the town.
"The vehicle with a room for the driver and two compartments for the passengers can carry 22 passengers. It will run at least 12 km with one litre of petrol at 40-60 km per hour. It can be run in long routes too," said inventor Amir Hossain, who conducted a test-run of the vehicle a few days ago.
It too Tk 5 lakh to make the 'auto-palki' in four months, he said.
In earlier times, wooden palki, designed for one or two persons, was used mainly to carry newlywed brides and bridegrooms in rural areas.
Besides, zamindars and rich people used it for movement from village to village.
It took four to eight people to carry a palki.
Now palki has become a nearly extinct item, making the new generation virtually unknown of the tradition.
"I was motivated to make the vehicle with modern amenities to revive the rural palki culture," said Amir.
"The new vehicle reminds me of the coal-run rail engine when I visited Kolkata long ago. The inventor should be rewarded for it," said Sirajuddin Sheikh, 82, of Katnarpara area of Bogra town.
"I went to her father-in-law's house boarding a palki when she was married at the age of 15. The new vehicle, having some resemblance with palki, reminds me of those romantic days," said Khabirunnesa, 85, of Choksutrapur.
The 'auto-palki' can be used for carrying brides and bridegrooms to and from the community centre, said inventor Amir.
It can also be used in children's parks and amusement parks for entertainment of all classes of people, he added.