Strange ft may sound, nearly half of the city rickshaws are believed to be Tying idle in their garages.

Owners say it is now too difficult to find drivers because they are now busy working In the paddy fields -- harvesting.

Many feel that this has contributed to the improvement of the city's overall traffic situation since the Eid-time traffic mayhem.

Garage owners in the city said many rickshawpullers did not return to the city after the Eid holidays. Many city rickshawpullers were now busy in the rural areas harvesting

aman padcfy, they said.

Just before the Eid holidays. Dhaka's traffic department estimated that more than six lakh illegal rickshaws were plying the city streets. At the same time, hundreds of autorickshaws from the city's peripheral townships had come to the city only to make the traffic situation worse.

Mujtborer Garage at Agar-gaon which houses more than 150 rickshaws and a dormitory for 50 rickshawpullers yesterday rented out only 50 rickshaws. Mujibor said more than half of his fleet remained un-rented since the Eid holidays.

"Most of my drivers are from Rangpur and Barisal and the few who came back from the Eid holidays have been asking me to reduce the rent otherwise they said they would go back to village to work in the paddy field. " Mujibor said.

Every rickshawpuller pays a daily rent of between Tk 40 ahd 70 to the owner of the rickshaw. The amount depends on the condition of the vehicle.

Another garage owner nearby however said many rickshaw owners were reluctant to rent their rickshaws out because the police have started to crack down on illegal rickshaws.