The challenge now on the part of the authorities is how to have rickshaw-free roads within a timeframe. Clearly, the livelihood of the rickshawpullers in the city, their dependants and business associated with the rickshaws must not be put into danger too abruptly. They number about two million people.
What should be attempted is a gradual phasing out of the rickshaws. The best thing is to help relocate them but not to destroy them . Rickshaws invalidated in Dhaka city can be allowed to be taken outside it to ply in small towns and semi-urban and even rural areas. The owners and operators of the unauthorised rickshaws can be given a deadline of some months -- like in the case of the three-wheeler baby taxis -- to relocate their operations outside metropolitan Dhaka. This would give the owners and pullers some reaction time and should help the government to free Dhaka's roads from rickshaws with the least backlash, perhaps from the ones to be affected. Otherwise, there would be only anarchy on the roads leading to serious disruptions to normal life and living in the city.
Imtiyaz Hussain
Rankin Street
Dhaka.
Dealing with rickshaws
FE Team | Published: September 21, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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