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ILLEGAL AUTO-RICKSHAW STAND

A nuisance for students, pedestrians
PHOTO: STAR
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Mymensingh
An illegal stand for CNG-run auto-rickshaws in front of Mominunnesa Government Mohila College in Mymensingh city has been a nuisance for hundreds of students and pedestrians for long.
As a result, the important road, which connects Muktagachha upazila with the metropolitan city, often witnesses serious gridlock.
Many city dwellers alleged that although a syndicate has been continuing the business for nearly 20 years, none has come forward to stop the menace for the better interest of the college and people living in the nearby areas.
Several hundred auto-rickshaws from the stand carries hundreds of passengers to different areas of Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Tangail.
Drivers keep a major portion of the important road as well as footpaths on its either sides occupied most of the time, locals said.
Razia Moni, an honours student of the institution, said they face serious trouble while coming to and from the college as the entire footpath on both sides of the road are kept occupied by auto-rickshaws, microbuses and private cars.
Thousands of city dwellers including many students use the road as Mymensingh Circuit House, District Public Library, Town Hall and several other educational institutions like Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam College, Government Ananda Mohan College, Muslim Girls’ School are located close to the women’s college, another student Suborna Sathi said.
Sources at the college said it is very difficult to conduct any educational activities due to serious sound pollution during working hours.
One of the teachers of the college, seeking anonymity, said the matter was raised at the district law and order meetings on several occasions, but to no avail.
Prof Mohammad Abu Taher, principal of Mominunnesa Government Mohila College, said they have urged the district administration, police and city corporation authorities to take necessary steps to remove the illegal stand from the area, but no measure has been taken yet due to unknown reason.
Moreover, despite widespread public protest against illegal parking on roads, none has taken any fruitful step to mitigate the sufferings, he added.
While talking to this correspondent, Nurul Amin Kalam, secretary of Mymensingh Nagarik Andolon, demanded immediate removal of the illegal auto-rickshaw stand to avoid perennial traffic congestion.
Rakibul Islam, president of Zila CNG and Mahendra Malik Samity, said they have been running the auto-rickshaw stand after taking verbal permission from the city corporation and police. Contacted, Aminul Islam, assistant secretary at Mymensingh City Corporation, said decision has been taken to shift the stand to a suitable place, but they are yet to implement it.