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Prisoner inside CNG 3-wheelers

Safety measure turns risky for passengers

Morshed Ali Khan
Abu Mohammad. 55. a businessman from Gaforgaon. arrived in Dhaka early Friday to meet his friends in Mirpur. Abu, having concluded his work in the evening, rented a CNG three-wheeler from Mirpur Mazar Road to Mohakhali bus terminal. As he boarded the CNG. its driver locked the passenger compartment and drove on. He did not know where he was heading as the driver took an unusual route and stopped in a quiet lane at Mirpur Section-11 where three people robbed him at knifepoint of his cell-phone and Tk 4,000 and pushed him out of the running vehicle near the BRTA office.
"As soon as the driver locked the gate and took an unknown lane, 1 felt totally helpless and terrified. I could not even open the gate as it was latched from the driver's compartment. 1 was at the mercy of this criminal." said a shaken Abu as he, surrounded by curious passersby, tried to recover from the fall.
Every passenger now in a CNG three-wheeler faces a similar threat in the city. With alarming rise in mugging involving CNGs, the home ministry recently ordered CNG owners to fit doors on both sides of the passengers' compartment. The idea was to ensure safety of passengers from criminals entering vehicles FROM PAGE 16
forcibly and robbing the passengers by first blinding them with hazardous substances. But the order did not mention anything about the way it should be done, said on-duty sergeants and police officials investigating crimes.
Several on-duty sergeants and police inspectors of DMP said, according to the information they have, drivers have direct or indirect hands in most of the incidents of mugging involving CNGs.
"If drivers are now able to lock up passengers like a prison van then such criminal activities will be carried out anywhere anytime with the increasing degree of insecurity of the passengers," said a traffic inspector requesting anonymity.
Moreover, he said, in emergencies like vehicles catching fire or drivers hurt, passengers should be able to get off the vehicles as soon as possible.
"Over the last few weeks as we observed CNG autorickshaws with doors on passenger side, we have discussed this matter among us and felt strongly that the passengers should be able to lock and unlock the compartment in which they travel," said the traffic inspector.
Deputy Commissioner, Traffic (west) Selim Mohammad lahangir admitted that the way CNG owners fitted the lock system on the newly introduced doors is a threat to the safety’ of passengers.
"I am going to discuss the matter with my senior colleagues." said Jahangir.
There are around one lakh drivers according to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority driving 14,269 CNGs in the city in several shifts every day.