In every culture there are ways in which one is expected to behave, rules set to differentiate between the good and the bad, the right and the wrong. Norms established to castigate those who exhibit actions of deviation, and step into the not-to-be-talked-about other side, to the chamber of demons and grotesque evil that turns them into one of their own. Yet how many of us have actually been there? Is it really a chamber where red tongued demons float about in harmonious vice and lick the blood of the innocent? Or is it the superficial image imposed in our minds so lucidly by the even more superficial society? Isn’t it the same society where the discrepancy between the rich and the poor exemplify the dysfunctional county that we call home?
It amuses me how the perpetual fear of actions that may be frowned upon by society are obliged religiously by us, the middleclass people of the society. Getting a divorce, seeing a mental health consultant or even the innocent friendships between two young people of the opposite sex, let alone dating, are only a few examples of such actions. You and I may regard these as some common phenomenon that are often necessary and are completely viable. Nevertheless, I can still recall the perturbation that occurred in my family when my aunt was compelled to end her marriage after having been severely abused. She and her husband resided in London back then, where he ensured that she was always locked inside the house. He beat her up in front of their young children, scarred her body with cigarette burns and even forced her head down the toilet. The reasons for such atrocious actions were because of the stunning beauty that my aunt was, and because her husband was unable to quell his paranoia regarding her. Even looking outside the window would arouse suspicion in her husband. Eventually after the turmoil with the divorce subsided, the untold conclusion agreed upon by society and much of the family was that my aunt was to be blamed; for it is the female who should be more considerate, who should endure the heinous tortures and keep the marriage going. She has ever since isolated herself from the world and has been living in a dark little room in my grandmother’s colossal house in Banani for the last 15 years, refusing to speak with anybody or willing to leave her room, if not for the utmost necessity. She is on the brink of silent insanity. Her teenage children had once came back after 13 years to take their mother back home, but a woman who has become apathetic towards all human relationships couldn’t accept the offer to be with her children. How can I still wish to support a society that has impaired a mother’s emotions to such an extent that she has lost the desire to want to be with her children? The question is yours to answer.
In today’s advanced world, when feminism is being prioritized to the maximum, we the Bangalis still find it difficult to conform to the fact that an incompatible marriage is a marriage impossible to be consummated. Women are expected to bear whatever the circumstances maybe to make a marriage work. The instant the marriage ends it is the woman to be censured, to be eyed with much contempt. Our actions only consolidate the fact that regardless of the numerous television shows on human/female rights, newspaper articles narrating stories of abused women, the existence of feminism in our society is still to be questioned.
It is true that for every society or nation to function orderly there should be laws introduced to reprimand the ones who fail or refuse to act accordingly. What would be a valid explanation for wrong? Is it wrong for a young child to want what is not his own? I can inevitably assume you will disagree for the child doesn’t know what he should or should not want. The idea of wrong and right various with age groups, personalities and background. Yet how can we so easily claim that a person is wrong if in fact what we perceive to be wrong might be right to several others? Of course those committing crimes such as murder or robbery should palpably be penalized by the state laws, but what about the petty street muggers? Had it ever occurred to you why mugging has increased so much in recent times? Had the crime rate been so high if resources were properly allocated and there had been more employment? With the insane rate of inflation every single person of the country is struggling to go through yet another day. I myself know how much a 100tk. note is worth and how difficult it is for middleclass people like us to persevere living a decent life. On top of the struggle for survival we are also expected to behave in a socially and politically correct manner and steer clear of the judgments society might throw upon us.
My father often drags me to weddings or social gatherings of people that I don’t even acknowledge and often detest, against my own will. I ask him why. He says ‘You have to be social, people expect you to be there’ I tell him ‘Are they the same people who would be there for me when I would really need a little help? Are these the people who would empathize with me in my times of trouble?’ I ask him the questions for in my twenty years of life I have had enough experience of human behavior, have had experienced the real troubles of life and have seen more of how selfish the society can be than most people, around me, twice my age have. Yet I consider myself to be exceptionally lucky to be where I am, because I know of the hardships that the people of our country go through that are nothing compared to what I had experienced.
In our dominant conservative society, freedom of speech or a candid expression is strictly prohibited. How do we continue to rely and willingly opt to abide by the rules set by society, when the ones who control the society seldom act according to their lofty words? When they are dinning with Satan himself and pointing fingers at us? When their sons and daughters are associated with all they have identified as wrong while they sit around and pass sardonic judgments on you and your offspring? Perhaps we are blind, blind to see all the obscenities, the injustice and the sycophancy so impeccably hidden. Or rather, are we frightened? Frightened of being labeled, being known in society as ‘the one’ who broke the rules and ‘the one' that should be discriminated and questioned, better yet discarded?
It goes beyond us to notice the intolerance that curbs our society. How many times have you shooed away a starving beggar for whom only a mere 2tk. would have sufficed and how many times have you spent thousands on KFC chicken and sizzling steaks? Before the previous statement misleads you, I would like to clarity that I am not against enjoying a fancy dinner; rather I myself grasp the opportunity when I am given one. But it just gets me perplexed as to why it is so difficult for the people in the posh cars who live in their own little world of glitz, to apprehend that they can assuage the hunger of at least one unfortunate battered child a day.
If it is an entire community that comprises of this so-called society, then why are only a certain group of vulnerable people to be questioned and victimized by clever ruses? I think it is time for all of us to take a moment and ponder about how our life functions for it is you who can make a difference. We are a free nation, but sadly enough, we are yet to be fully emancipated.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Lacking in coherence
These brief breaks are anything but pleasent.
With a 1000 trivial and unimaginably irritable issues transformed into intransient, clingy thoughts, circuits and electronics are having much difficulty in penetrating through my impermiable brain. Coming to think of it, it is not only the thoughts, which even though seems intansient now, will eventually turn out to be ephimeral with passing time; rather it is the sheer annoyance of studying electronics that makes me want to jump off my terrace in one swift motion! Yet here I am, writting down random thoughts when my electronics final exam will commence at 8 in the bloody winter morning of tomorrow! Damnit! It is 9:26 pm and counting. If only we could devise a mechanism to alter the flow of time...sigh..
With a 1000 trivial and unimaginably irritable issues transformed into intransient, clingy thoughts, circuits and electronics are having much difficulty in penetrating through my impermiable brain. Coming to think of it, it is not only the thoughts, which even though seems intansient now, will eventually turn out to be ephimeral with passing time; rather it is the sheer annoyance of studying electronics that makes me want to jump off my terrace in one swift motion! Yet here I am, writting down random thoughts when my electronics final exam will commence at 8 in the bloody winter morning of tomorrow! Damnit! It is 9:26 pm and counting. If only we could devise a mechanism to alter the flow of time...sigh..
Friday, December 7, 2007
In Guise of Law Enforcers
On November 28 2007, City Monetary Exchange was raided by members of the Joint Forces. The raid turned out to be a hoax and the law enforcers turned out to be robbers dressed in police and army uniform. Writes Kutubuddin Kamal
For Chan Mia, chairman of the City Monetary Exchange, it was just another working day. Even when nine men dressed in army and police uniforms arrived at his gate identifying themselves as members of the joint forces, he was more baffled than frightened. They demanded to see the company’s legal papers and transactions, and Chan Mia and his cashier were happy to comply to get whatever the complication was sorted out quickly, without any dispute. But they did not realise that the checks were merely a ruse, and after they had finished, Chan Mia found himself having been robbed of Tk.17 lakh in cash. The incident occurred on November 28 at around 3:00pm, on the ground floor of the Baitul Khair building in Purana Paltan. Md. Kamrul Hasan, the managing director of the company and the son of Chan Mia, usually looked after the management and transactions of the exchange but was absent on that particular day. Kamrul was at the airport leaving for Hajj, while his father was left in charge of the company. ‘The collapsible gate of the compound was open, and only the cashier and I were working; the rest of the employees were either out on work or had gone to the mosque for prayers’ says Chan Mia. Chan Mia explains that a total of nine men entered the compound, three of whom wore army uniforms, two in police uniforms and the four others in civil wear. ‘The men’s attitude and manner were of those with legal authority,’ says Chan Mia. ‘They even had “army” haircuts and were tall with robust physiques; features that are typical of army personnel’ The men entered through the open door and greeted Chan Mia in a very official manner. Those in army uniforms demanded to see the company’s legal documents, transactions and statements. One of the others locked the door behind him and stood guard to make sure no one entered or left the compound. ‘I always keep my papers up to date and send monthly reports to the Bangladesh Bank, so I was quite certain that they wouldn’t find anything wrong with the documents’ says Chan Mia. Chan Mia hurriedly gathered the required documents, while the men dressed in army uniforms discreetly took note of where Chan Mia’s safe was located. Meanwhile the men in police and civil attire went behind the counter where the cashier sat, and began emptying the cash register and started filling their bags with money and every other document in sight. ‘Aside from money from the cash register, they took all the paperwork that they could find, including several of my diaries with important contact numbers and information,’ says Chan Mia. Back in the room with the safe, the men studied the documents thoroughly and abruptly asked Chan Mia to open the locker. Although taken aback by the sudden command, Chan Mia brought out the key without much hesitation and was about to unlock the safe, when one of the men snatched the key from him and unlocked the safe himself. Within the next few seconds Chan Mia found himself blindfolded and forced to sit on a chair. In the meantime the cashier was blindfolded as well by the other men, as they finished stuffing their bags with all the documents and cash that were obtainable from the counter. After having completed their task behind the counter, the men in civil wear and police uniforms took mobile sets and money from the customers who were present at the compound during the made-up raid. ‘They asked me not to make any sound, and I had no idea of what was going on,’ recalls Chan Mia. ‘One of them asked me to present all the documents and transactions at the Motijheel Thana.’ Till then, Chan Mia was completely unaware of the activities taking place in the other sections of the store. Outside, owners, salesmen and customers from other stores began crowding around, but keeping a safe distance from the exchange compound, in anticipation of learning what was going on. ‘My owner went close to the collapsible gates of the compound, when a man dressed in a police uniform commanded him to get back into his store’ says Abdus Sattar of AB Card Center. ‘No one dared to speak or question them on what was going on,’ says Unus Ali (Not real name), another witness to the incident. Most of the other witnesses said that the people from surrounding stores all watched in silence, but none dared to get close to the guarded collapsible gate. ‘When I finally heard footsteps fading away, I removed the blindfold and rushed out to find that they had left with my cashier as a captive’ recalls Chan Mia. ‘Petrified, I went to my landlord and explained what had happened; I still oblivious of the fact that whatever happened was the execution of a robbery.’ ‘When I called the Motijheel Thana, they said that they were unaware of any such raid to have taken place,’ says Chan Mia, adding that the Paltan Thana and Army Camp also expressed ignorance towards the raid. ‘At that point, when I realised that there was the possibility of it having been a robbery, I was more worried about my employee than the money. The men left in the minivan with which they arrived, taking with them a blindfolded and terrified Abdus Samad, the cashier. ‘They didn’t beat me or hurt me’ says Samad. He was later dropped off near the Tejgaon Press Club. ‘They said that they would drop me off here and a major’s car that was following behind would pick me up,’ adds Samad. He also mentions that, during the entire time that he was in the vehicle, the men talked about camps and men in the army; in general, the ways in which army personnel would speak.’ The entire operation took place within a mere 7-10 minutes reflecting the expertise of such men. They took a reported Tk.17 Lakh, consisting of $12,450 USD, 2,100 Euro and approximately 6 and a half Lakh taka. Chan Mia, however, still has difficulty in accepting what has happened. ‘The police stations and RAB kept my full statements, but I confessed that it was still difficult for me to believe that the men were robbers,’ says Chan Mia. ‘With the current state of emergency under the interim government, civilians don’t dare question orders, hence, it had never occurred to me to ask for any identification cards from the men; I didn’t want to get into any trouble.’ A case has been filed with the Paltan Thana. The OC of Paltan Thana, Farid Ahmed said that investigations are underway, but no suspects were yet to be identified as of the December 3, five days since the infamous robbery took place. Although the police could not report of any development in the investigation, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Naim Ahmed tells New Age that the Detective Branch has been additionally assigned to work on the case. With the enduring state of emergency and the monopoly power shared by the RAB and Army, civilians are living under a constant fear of the supposedly invincible authority. In the process, criminals or robbers are performing such atrocious crimes, taking full advantage of the civilian’s vulnerability.
For Chan Mia, chairman of the City Monetary Exchange, it was just another working day. Even when nine men dressed in army and police uniforms arrived at his gate identifying themselves as members of the joint forces, he was more baffled than frightened. They demanded to see the company’s legal papers and transactions, and Chan Mia and his cashier were happy to comply to get whatever the complication was sorted out quickly, without any dispute. But they did not realise that the checks were merely a ruse, and after they had finished, Chan Mia found himself having been robbed of Tk.17 lakh in cash. The incident occurred on November 28 at around 3:00pm, on the ground floor of the Baitul Khair building in Purana Paltan. Md. Kamrul Hasan, the managing director of the company and the son of Chan Mia, usually looked after the management and transactions of the exchange but was absent on that particular day. Kamrul was at the airport leaving for Hajj, while his father was left in charge of the company. ‘The collapsible gate of the compound was open, and only the cashier and I were working; the rest of the employees were either out on work or had gone to the mosque for prayers’ says Chan Mia. Chan Mia explains that a total of nine men entered the compound, three of whom wore army uniforms, two in police uniforms and the four others in civil wear. ‘The men’s attitude and manner were of those with legal authority,’ says Chan Mia. ‘They even had “army” haircuts and were tall with robust physiques; features that are typical of army personnel’ The men entered through the open door and greeted Chan Mia in a very official manner. Those in army uniforms demanded to see the company’s legal documents, transactions and statements. One of the others locked the door behind him and stood guard to make sure no one entered or left the compound. ‘I always keep my papers up to date and send monthly reports to the Bangladesh Bank, so I was quite certain that they wouldn’t find anything wrong with the documents’ says Chan Mia. Chan Mia hurriedly gathered the required documents, while the men dressed in army uniforms discreetly took note of where Chan Mia’s safe was located. Meanwhile the men in police and civil attire went behind the counter where the cashier sat, and began emptying the cash register and started filling their bags with money and every other document in sight. ‘Aside from money from the cash register, they took all the paperwork that they could find, including several of my diaries with important contact numbers and information,’ says Chan Mia. Back in the room with the safe, the men studied the documents thoroughly and abruptly asked Chan Mia to open the locker. Although taken aback by the sudden command, Chan Mia brought out the key without much hesitation and was about to unlock the safe, when one of the men snatched the key from him and unlocked the safe himself. Within the next few seconds Chan Mia found himself blindfolded and forced to sit on a chair. In the meantime the cashier was blindfolded as well by the other men, as they finished stuffing their bags with all the documents and cash that were obtainable from the counter. After having completed their task behind the counter, the men in civil wear and police uniforms took mobile sets and money from the customers who were present at the compound during the made-up raid. ‘They asked me not to make any sound, and I had no idea of what was going on,’ recalls Chan Mia. ‘One of them asked me to present all the documents and transactions at the Motijheel Thana.’ Till then, Chan Mia was completely unaware of the activities taking place in the other sections of the store. Outside, owners, salesmen and customers from other stores began crowding around, but keeping a safe distance from the exchange compound, in anticipation of learning what was going on. ‘My owner went close to the collapsible gates of the compound, when a man dressed in a police uniform commanded him to get back into his store’ says Abdus Sattar of AB Card Center. ‘No one dared to speak or question them on what was going on,’ says Unus Ali (Not real name), another witness to the incident. Most of the other witnesses said that the people from surrounding stores all watched in silence, but none dared to get close to the guarded collapsible gate. ‘When I finally heard footsteps fading away, I removed the blindfold and rushed out to find that they had left with my cashier as a captive’ recalls Chan Mia. ‘Petrified, I went to my landlord and explained what had happened; I still oblivious of the fact that whatever happened was the execution of a robbery.’ ‘When I called the Motijheel Thana, they said that they were unaware of any such raid to have taken place,’ says Chan Mia, adding that the Paltan Thana and Army Camp also expressed ignorance towards the raid. ‘At that point, when I realised that there was the possibility of it having been a robbery, I was more worried about my employee than the money. The men left in the minivan with which they arrived, taking with them a blindfolded and terrified Abdus Samad, the cashier. ‘They didn’t beat me or hurt me’ says Samad. He was later dropped off near the Tejgaon Press Club. ‘They said that they would drop me off here and a major’s car that was following behind would pick me up,’ adds Samad. He also mentions that, during the entire time that he was in the vehicle, the men talked about camps and men in the army; in general, the ways in which army personnel would speak.’ The entire operation took place within a mere 7-10 minutes reflecting the expertise of such men. They took a reported Tk.17 Lakh, consisting of $12,450 USD, 2,100 Euro and approximately 6 and a half Lakh taka. Chan Mia, however, still has difficulty in accepting what has happened. ‘The police stations and RAB kept my full statements, but I confessed that it was still difficult for me to believe that the men were robbers,’ says Chan Mia. ‘With the current state of emergency under the interim government, civilians don’t dare question orders, hence, it had never occurred to me to ask for any identification cards from the men; I didn’t want to get into any trouble.’ A case has been filed with the Paltan Thana. The OC of Paltan Thana, Farid Ahmed said that investigations are underway, but no suspects were yet to be identified as of the December 3, five days since the infamous robbery took place. Although the police could not report of any development in the investigation, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Naim Ahmed tells New Age that the Detective Branch has been additionally assigned to work on the case. With the enduring state of emergency and the monopoly power shared by the RAB and Army, civilians are living under a constant fear of the supposedly invincible authority. In the process, criminals or robbers are performing such atrocious crimes, taking full advantage of the civilian’s vulnerability.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
'No Less Than 100 Taka'
Commuters are being harassed by CNG drivers who refuse short distances and ask for exorbitant fares ignoring the metres. The drivers meanwhile are held captive by owners while owners blame rising prices. Kutubuddin Kamal explores the vicious cycle
photos by Andrew Biraj
Yasmeen Ahmed stands in front of the Shooting Complex in Gulshan, carrying two bulky jute bags in both hands as she eagerly keeps looking both ways for a CNG auto-rickshaw. She was on her way to Mohammadpur Preparatory Girls College where she has been teaching for the last eleven years. It was 7:00am and as she anxiously waits, several CNG auto-rickshaws drive by, but none wants to take her to her desired destination. Finally after fifteen long minutes she manages to get a CNG auto-rickshaw but the driver insists on being paid Tk 80 to take her to Mohammadpur on a ‘contract’. The usual fare from Gulshan-1 to Mohammadpur is about Tk 50-60 depending on the flow of traffic, whereas the driver asked for an additional Tk 20 over the meter fare
‘It is still much easier to get an auto-rickshaw in the morning,’ says Yasmeen ‘after work I have to linger in the streets for at least an hour in the scorching sun to get a CNG.’ She regrets the fact that the government or relevant authority is unable to handle this dreadful situation that seems to worsen by the day and harasses commuters intolerably. This is just one case amongst the several thousand CNG commuters who are compelled to endure similar circumstances. It is not unknown to most citizens of the trouble one has to go through to convince an auto-rickshaw driver to take a fare.
‘I have to pay a fare of Tk 60 on ‘contract’ to come to my university in Banani,’ says Aumiya Nasir who resides in Indira Road. ‘It usually takes around 15-20 minutes before I can get a CNG auto-rickshaw that is willing to go to Banani.’
Ever since CNG metered auto-rickshaws have been introduced in 2003, the complaints and distress of local commuters have been massive. Despite the assurance by the police, that CNG drivers are bound to take any fare irrespective of the distance or location, has never been the case. Drivers of three-wheelers began by asking for a little extra money, about Tk 5-10 over the fare determined by the meter. Eventually they started to demand as much as Tk 20 over the meter fare. In recent months the meter is seldom used by auto-rickshaw drivers who take fares on ‘contracts’. Over the last couple of months auto-rickshaw drivers are reportedly refusing to agree at any fare offered by commuters. They usually prefer long distance trips and that also has to be to a location of their choice.
In April, the interim government introduced a new fare chart for CNG auto-rickshaws. The new chart increases the fare for the first two kilometers from Tk 12 to Tk 13.5, while the fare per kilometer has been increased from Tk 5.0 to 5.5. The daily rental has been set to Tk 450 from Tk 300. The revised chart was anticipated to reduce the variance between commuters, drivers and owners but ironically it seems to have made it worse.
‘I just asked a driver if he would go to Dhanmondi and he said ‘no’, I asked him if he would go to any of the places among Panthapath, Mohmmadpur and Mirpur and he drove by without even replying,’ says one frustrated Naimul Haq, a private service holder who was outraged for having to wait for an auto rickshaw in Mohakhali for over an hour after office.
‘I do not understand where these drivers would want to go to and this kind of behavior is infuriating.’ This recent trend is stirring up aggravation among commuters whose only means of transportation are the CNG auto-rickshaws due to the cheaper fare compared to taxi cabs. Hence, commuters have their hands tied and despite their unwillingness to agree to take rides on ‘contract’ they are not given the privilege of other options.
‘It is understandable that due to the large amount of deposit that the drivers have to pay to the auto-rickshaw owners, they ask for extra money,’ says Kazi, a buisnessman. ‘But it is simply deplorable that they demand absurd fares for ‘contract’ and refuse to go where we ask them to.’
However, the drivers of three wheelers say that they are living in such desperate conditions and the only way for them to support their families is by taking extra money from their passengers.
‘I have to pay a daily rent of Tk 550 to the owner,’ says Noyon, a CNG driver. ‘With the terrible traffic jams and large queues at CNG filling stations, there is not enough time for us to even manage the deposit money. If we are to abide by the fare set by the meter we will lose our jobs and fail to support our families.’
‘When a 15 minute ride takes an hour and thirty minutes, what can I do but go on contracts?’ asks fifty year old auto-rickshaw driver, Md. Abul Hossain. ‘I have to pay a monthly house rent of Tk 3600 and with other expenses considered, such as groceries and children’s school fees, around Tk 12000 – 13000 have to be spent each month. If the owners violate the law set for a deposit money of Tk 450, is it our fault that we demand extra money to run our families?’
‘Driving an auto-rickshaw is a very exhausting job and even after driving for the entire day, I am left with a mere maximum of Tk 200 each day after paying the daily deposit,’ says Lal mia.
Most drivers claim that they are threatened of being fired if they refuse to pay the daily rental as set by their owners which ranges from Tk 600 – 700. Also, owners are having their auto-rickshaws driven on shifts by two drivers in a day. Hence a driver, who used to drive for 12 hours before, has to pay the same amount by driving for only four to six hours. In the process the owners earn about a whopping Tk 1200 each day which is Tk 750 more than the set daily deposit. After the new fare chart has been announced, the police and RAB are known to have filed cases against drivers who demand extra money from commuters and even their driver’s licenses have been seized.
‘Before we could bribe the police with Tk 100 – 200 but now it is even difficult to comprehend if they are willing to take the money. Mostly such offers leads to more trouble,’ says driver Reza who resides in Badda.
The chairman of Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority (BRTA) ABM Shahjahan agrees that many owners are taking a daily rental of more than Tk 450 but states that there isn’t anything that can be done.
‘We have revised the fare chart and increased the daily rental to help decrease this conflict,’ says Shajahan ‘Yet if the drivers continue to exploit commuters there is only one solution, that is the commuters should take the three wheeler to the nearest police station and the police will take the necessary action required to punish the driver.’ He also adds that several drivers have been sent to jail for overcharging passengers and owners against whom written complaints were obtained, had their road permits seized and registrations cancelled. Also, mobile courts are functioning across the city. Shajahan mentions that no future steps can be taken, to act as a permanent solution.
MH Iqbal, the secretary of Dhaka CNG Auto-Rickshaw Malik Shamity, denied a widespread of such accusations against auto-rickshaw owners regarding exploitation of drivers. ‘There maybe one or two such rare cases where owners exploit drivers by taking a daily rental of over Tk. 450. Strict actions have been taken against such owners and their auto-rickshaws have been confiscated,’ says Iqbal. He mentions that the Malik Shamilty negotiates with the CNG Drivers Association often, and usually when asked why they refuse fares, the drivers deny such actions.
‘I am an owner of an auto-rickshaw myself, but I am also a commuter and I am aware of the harassment a commuter has to go through because of the unreasonable contracts,’ agrees Iqbal. ‘We earnestly ask the drivers to at least take fares and not leave people stranded on the streets for hours.’
Most owners deny the accusations set against them while some acknowledge it.
‘I have three auto-rickshaws and my drivers are willing to pay Tk 500 if they are allowed to drive till 10pm,’ said Shoma, a banker ‘Most of us perceive the drivers to have earned a tiny amount at the end of the day but surprisingly my drivers told me that they are able to earn at least Tk 300 daily.’
ATM Nazmul Hassan, the Secretary of Dhaka Mohanogor CNG Babsha Malik Shamity, deeply regrets the current situation and says that he has been urgently attempting to improve this disturbing trend. ‘It is true that CNG owners take more than the set rental of Tk 450, but with the appalling rate of recent inflation, it is impossible for even the owners to lead a decent life,’ says Nazmul. He explains that the price of mobil has rocketed from Tk 120 – 200 in recent times and that the tax rate is so high it becomes terribly difficult for owners to import engine parts and maintain their vehicles. ‘The current situation needs immediate attention, as both the owners and the drivers cannot continue to function in this manner,’ says Nazmul. ‘I have taken various steps and even written a letter of prayer to the communication advisor to look into the matter but I am yet to receive a reply.’ He explains that the only solution is to reduce the percentage of tax and inflation if the government is willing to keep this sector working and provide a long-term solution. ‘Through New Age I would like to plead to the government to help make conditions better.’
If the authority is indifferent towards such unethical actions after having introduced the new fare chart, how can the circumstances improve? With 2500 CNG drivers in the country and the number of commuters three times that amount, can a fair solution be attained whereby commuters would be relieved of their daily harassment and both auto-rickshaw drivers and owners would be satisfied?
‘I am willing to pay a little extra money over the meter fair, but I would at least like to be assured that drivers wouldn’t refuse to take fares,’ says Yasmeen
photos by Andrew Biraj
Yasmeen Ahmed stands in front of the Shooting Complex in Gulshan, carrying two bulky jute bags in both hands as she eagerly keeps looking both ways for a CNG auto-rickshaw. She was on her way to Mohammadpur Preparatory Girls College where she has been teaching for the last eleven years. It was 7:00am and as she anxiously waits, several CNG auto-rickshaws drive by, but none wants to take her to her desired destination. Finally after fifteen long minutes she manages to get a CNG auto-rickshaw but the driver insists on being paid Tk 80 to take her to Mohammadpur on a ‘contract’. The usual fare from Gulshan-1 to Mohammadpur is about Tk 50-60 depending on the flow of traffic, whereas the driver asked for an additional Tk 20 over the meter fare
‘It is still much easier to get an auto-rickshaw in the morning,’ says Yasmeen ‘after work I have to linger in the streets for at least an hour in the scorching sun to get a CNG.’ She regrets the fact that the government or relevant authority is unable to handle this dreadful situation that seems to worsen by the day and harasses commuters intolerably. This is just one case amongst the several thousand CNG commuters who are compelled to endure similar circumstances. It is not unknown to most citizens of the trouble one has to go through to convince an auto-rickshaw driver to take a fare.
‘I have to pay a fare of Tk 60 on ‘contract’ to come to my university in Banani,’ says Aumiya Nasir who resides in Indira Road. ‘It usually takes around 15-20 minutes before I can get a CNG auto-rickshaw that is willing to go to Banani.’
Ever since CNG metered auto-rickshaws have been introduced in 2003, the complaints and distress of local commuters have been massive. Despite the assurance by the police, that CNG drivers are bound to take any fare irrespective of the distance or location, has never been the case. Drivers of three-wheelers began by asking for a little extra money, about Tk 5-10 over the fare determined by the meter. Eventually they started to demand as much as Tk 20 over the meter fare. In recent months the meter is seldom used by auto-rickshaw drivers who take fares on ‘contracts’. Over the last couple of months auto-rickshaw drivers are reportedly refusing to agree at any fare offered by commuters. They usually prefer long distance trips and that also has to be to a location of their choice.
In April, the interim government introduced a new fare chart for CNG auto-rickshaws. The new chart increases the fare for the first two kilometers from Tk 12 to Tk 13.5, while the fare per kilometer has been increased from Tk 5.0 to 5.5. The daily rental has been set to Tk 450 from Tk 300. The revised chart was anticipated to reduce the variance between commuters, drivers and owners but ironically it seems to have made it worse.
‘I just asked a driver if he would go to Dhanmondi and he said ‘no’, I asked him if he would go to any of the places among Panthapath, Mohmmadpur and Mirpur and he drove by without even replying,’ says one frustrated Naimul Haq, a private service holder who was outraged for having to wait for an auto rickshaw in Mohakhali for over an hour after office.
‘I do not understand where these drivers would want to go to and this kind of behavior is infuriating.’ This recent trend is stirring up aggravation among commuters whose only means of transportation are the CNG auto-rickshaws due to the cheaper fare compared to taxi cabs. Hence, commuters have their hands tied and despite their unwillingness to agree to take rides on ‘contract’ they are not given the privilege of other options.
‘It is understandable that due to the large amount of deposit that the drivers have to pay to the auto-rickshaw owners, they ask for extra money,’ says Kazi, a buisnessman. ‘But it is simply deplorable that they demand absurd fares for ‘contract’ and refuse to go where we ask them to.’
However, the drivers of three wheelers say that they are living in such desperate conditions and the only way for them to support their families is by taking extra money from their passengers.
‘I have to pay a daily rent of Tk 550 to the owner,’ says Noyon, a CNG driver. ‘With the terrible traffic jams and large queues at CNG filling stations, there is not enough time for us to even manage the deposit money. If we are to abide by the fare set by the meter we will lose our jobs and fail to support our families.’
‘When a 15 minute ride takes an hour and thirty minutes, what can I do but go on contracts?’ asks fifty year old auto-rickshaw driver, Md. Abul Hossain. ‘I have to pay a monthly house rent of Tk 3600 and with other expenses considered, such as groceries and children’s school fees, around Tk 12000 – 13000 have to be spent each month. If the owners violate the law set for a deposit money of Tk 450, is it our fault that we demand extra money to run our families?’
‘Driving an auto-rickshaw is a very exhausting job and even after driving for the entire day, I am left with a mere maximum of Tk 200 each day after paying the daily deposit,’ says Lal mia.
Most drivers claim that they are threatened of being fired if they refuse to pay the daily rental as set by their owners which ranges from Tk 600 – 700. Also, owners are having their auto-rickshaws driven on shifts by two drivers in a day. Hence a driver, who used to drive for 12 hours before, has to pay the same amount by driving for only four to six hours. In the process the owners earn about a whopping Tk 1200 each day which is Tk 750 more than the set daily deposit. After the new fare chart has been announced, the police and RAB are known to have filed cases against drivers who demand extra money from commuters and even their driver’s licenses have been seized.
‘Before we could bribe the police with Tk 100 – 200 but now it is even difficult to comprehend if they are willing to take the money. Mostly such offers leads to more trouble,’ says driver Reza who resides in Badda.
The chairman of Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority (BRTA) ABM Shahjahan agrees that many owners are taking a daily rental of more than Tk 450 but states that there isn’t anything that can be done.
‘We have revised the fare chart and increased the daily rental to help decrease this conflict,’ says Shajahan ‘Yet if the drivers continue to exploit commuters there is only one solution, that is the commuters should take the three wheeler to the nearest police station and the police will take the necessary action required to punish the driver.’ He also adds that several drivers have been sent to jail for overcharging passengers and owners against whom written complaints were obtained, had their road permits seized and registrations cancelled. Also, mobile courts are functioning across the city. Shajahan mentions that no future steps can be taken, to act as a permanent solution.
MH Iqbal, the secretary of Dhaka CNG Auto-Rickshaw Malik Shamity, denied a widespread of such accusations against auto-rickshaw owners regarding exploitation of drivers. ‘There maybe one or two such rare cases where owners exploit drivers by taking a daily rental of over Tk. 450. Strict actions have been taken against such owners and their auto-rickshaws have been confiscated,’ says Iqbal. He mentions that the Malik Shamilty negotiates with the CNG Drivers Association often, and usually when asked why they refuse fares, the drivers deny such actions.
‘I am an owner of an auto-rickshaw myself, but I am also a commuter and I am aware of the harassment a commuter has to go through because of the unreasonable contracts,’ agrees Iqbal. ‘We earnestly ask the drivers to at least take fares and not leave people stranded on the streets for hours.’
Most owners deny the accusations set against them while some acknowledge it.
‘I have three auto-rickshaws and my drivers are willing to pay Tk 500 if they are allowed to drive till 10pm,’ said Shoma, a banker ‘Most of us perceive the drivers to have earned a tiny amount at the end of the day but surprisingly my drivers told me that they are able to earn at least Tk 300 daily.’
ATM Nazmul Hassan, the Secretary of Dhaka Mohanogor CNG Babsha Malik Shamity, deeply regrets the current situation and says that he has been urgently attempting to improve this disturbing trend. ‘It is true that CNG owners take more than the set rental of Tk 450, but with the appalling rate of recent inflation, it is impossible for even the owners to lead a decent life,’ says Nazmul. He explains that the price of mobil has rocketed from Tk 120 – 200 in recent times and that the tax rate is so high it becomes terribly difficult for owners to import engine parts and maintain their vehicles. ‘The current situation needs immediate attention, as both the owners and the drivers cannot continue to function in this manner,’ says Nazmul. ‘I have taken various steps and even written a letter of prayer to the communication advisor to look into the matter but I am yet to receive a reply.’ He explains that the only solution is to reduce the percentage of tax and inflation if the government is willing to keep this sector working and provide a long-term solution. ‘Through New Age I would like to plead to the government to help make conditions better.’
If the authority is indifferent towards such unethical actions after having introduced the new fare chart, how can the circumstances improve? With 2500 CNG drivers in the country and the number of commuters three times that amount, can a fair solution be attained whereby commuters would be relieved of their daily harassment and both auto-rickshaw drivers and owners would be satisfied?
‘I am willing to pay a little extra money over the meter fair, but I would at least like to be assured that drivers wouldn’t refuse to take fares,’ says Yasmeen
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