Tauhid Hossain Sarkar:
Traffic congestion has been a major problem in Comilla metropolis for a long time. Thousands of people suffer every day in reaching their workplaces, especially during office hours and school and college holidays. Although the traffic department has reported a shortage of manpower to solve this problem, recently an innovative initiative has been taken by the “Autobike, Easybike, Mixed Owners’ Association” of autobike and easybike drivers.
They have been working to control traffic congestion on important roads of the city for 7 consecutive days since February 12 with their voluntary efforts, and passengers are generally happy with this. They claim that more than 50,000 small vehicles in Comilla city—out of which 30,000 are autobikes and easybikes and 20,000 are mixed—ply regularly. But since these vehicles are not legalized, the administration has launched a campaign against them, which is harming both the livelihood of the drivers and the convenience of the passengers.
Workers’ role in traffic control:
For the past week, members of this organization have been responsible for controlling traffic jams on the busiest roads of Comilla. They are making drivers aware of following traffic signals, helping pedestrians cross the road and, where necessary, voluntarily directing traffic.
A driver said, “If we can play a role in the city’s traffic discipline ourselves, then the administration should give us legitimacy so that we can follow the rules and avoid police harassment.”
Demand for legitimacy and economic impact:
Autobike and easybike workers say that if the government gives them legitimacy, the government will get revenue – revenue will be collected through approved licenses, registration and taxes.
A structured transport system will be developed – if it is ensured that vehicles follow certain rules, traffic jams will reduce.
The livelihood of drivers will be ensured – due to lack of legitimacy, they are constantly subjected to police harassment. If they get legitimacy, this problem will be solved.
There will be discipline on the roads – if specific routes and numbers are fixed, then traffic congestion will decrease and the accident rate will decrease.
The leader of the labor organization said, “If we get the opportunity to follow the rules, then Comilla city will be free from traffic congestion, the work of the administration will be easy, and the government will also get huge revenue.”
The position of the administration and what to do:
The traffic department and the administration have not taken any formal decision on this demand so far. However, experts say that if a specific number of autobikes and easybikes can be legalized by making a systematic policy, then the city’s transportation system can be more disciplined.
When asked about this, Professor Rafiqul Islam, President of the Bangladesh Workers’ Welfare Federation Comilla Metropolitan City, said that the previous autobicycle and easybike traffic in Comilla Metropolitan City was hesitant to legalize the movement of autobikes and easybikes. The current July 24 revolutionary government will legalize their movement to ensure the rights of ordinary workers, and we firmly believe in this.
Ordinary pedestrian Md. Mosharraf Hossain said that this is the right of the workers, if this is given, the token trade will stop.
General Secretary of the association Syed Ahmed said that we must free ourselves from the oppression of the token trade or we will be betrayed with the blood of Abu Said Mughde.
Above all, it is important to find a solution through discussions between the administration and the labor organization. Otherwise, on the one hand, the traffic congestion problem in the city will continue, on the other hand, thousands of drivers and their families will be in uncertainty.
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