VIP roads

In my opinion the government, before taking a decision to turn every main road into a VIP road, should have taken alternative steps to ensure the general people are not affected by such situations which arise out of banning rickshaws. Rickshaws were and have always been the main source of transportation for short distance, or sometimes for long distance rides. For instance, the residents of Maghbazaar, New Eskaton and the adjoining areas depended on the rickshaw to make their way to the shopping malls like Eastern Plaza, Mutallib Plaza and the Bashundhara City, or even to the medical centres such as the BIRDEM Hospital or the PG Hospital. Rickshaws are also used as transportation to take children to school, and also the only means of going to the nearest kitchen market - Hatirpool Bazaar and Karwan Bazaar. Now what are we supposed to do? Take a CNG autorickshaw to go to Hatirpool Bazaar or Karwan Bazaar? Does the government know the fact that CNG autorickshaws refuse to make short distance rides? And even if they do, the drivers demand Tk 20 or more, whereas a rickshaw would cost Tk 8 to 10.

The question is -- who are the VIPs? If a person stands at the head of the Bangla Motor crossing for 30 minutes and observes the traffic scenario, he will be able to count numerous or hundreds of private buses, state-owned buses, private cars, taxi cabs, CNG autorickshaws and even the Dhaka Municipal Corporation's over-loaded, foul-smelling waste disposal truck plying on the VIP road.

The real VIPs travel on that road only while making their way to office and back home. And then sometimes a few VIP cars move on that road during daytime.

Therefore, shouldn't the government make a very special route; perhaps an underground road to be used strictly by the VIPs? Why make the general public - especially the ones who can't afford to travel in a taxi cab or a CNG autorickshaw-- suffer?

The government should remember that Bangladesh belongs to the common people. The government and the VIPs are the lawmakers, which we all agree. But they wouldn't have got the portfolio if they were not elected to power by the common people.

I trust the government and the concerned authorities will look into the matter and work out plans and strategies to bring forth a sensible solution in order to mitigate the common people's sufferings.