Several hundred drivers of CNG-run taxicabs yesterday staged a sit-in in front of Bangladesh Road TYansport Authority (BRTA) in the city protesting an increase of rate of daily money deposition by the owners.

In protest against the violation of government rules in different ways by the taxicab owners, the drivers had been observing work abstention since May 1.

According to the government rules, the taxicab owners have to ply their vehicles by salaried drivers, but none of the owners has salaried

Therefore, all the drivers had been driving by hiring taxicabs from the owners on a daily basis since 1998 atTk 720 per day.

But after the recent CNG price hili£ ffK^rtrpulollkt&Xitfab'’dwners increased the deposition rate up to Tk920.

Humayun Kabir, president of Cab Express Sangram Parishad, told The Daily Star. “As we drive the taxicab on a daily basis against the deposition of a fixed amount, the price hike of CNG does not affect the owners. But the owners have increased the deposition rate illogi-cally."

“If the amount is hiked, it will be impossible for us to continue,” he said.

“We had also informed the BRTA authorities about the matter but the officials did not cooperate," he alleged.

As the drivers had been protesting the increase of the deposition rate, several hundred taxicabs were seen parked at different depots at Matuail, Gabtali, Mohakhali and different other places in the city yesterday.

Former BNP lawmaker GM Siraj, also the chairman of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners' Association, told The Daily Star, “It is true that I have no salaried drivers, rather they run my cabs on condition of commission on the basis of mileages.”

Replying to a question, he said, “As the CNG price has been hiked, we have to collect extra charge."

BRTA Director (Engineer) Humayun Rashid Khalifa said "Both the taxicab owners and the drivers have been violating the BRTA rules by charging extra fare and taking deposition money from the drivers instead of paying salary.”

He said the drivers submitted a written complaint to the BRTA chairman against the cab owners and the BRTA will take actions soon.

Meanwhile, the BRTA mobile court yesterday seized 15 CNG-run vehicles, including 10 buses, for charging extra fare and filed 109 cases.