The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) is going to start destroying the life-expired CNG-run auto-rickshaws from April 1.
It has already prepared a list of 500 CNG auto-rickshaws which will be put under the bulldozer in the first phase.
It will scrap a total of 8,421 CNG-run three wheelers by August. The information came through an official announcement from BRTA on Thursday.
Nur Mohammad Mazum- der, Director (Enforcement) of BRTA confirmed the information to FE saying the rest of the life-expired CNG-run auto-rickshaws will get the same treatment.
According to BRTA announcement, the first phase of the destruction process will start from April 1 and continue till April 11.
The owners of the CNG-run three wheelers have been asked to be present with their vehicle at the BRTA office in Keraniganj from 10am during the given time.
The whole process is being conducted under the three wheeler service policy of 2007, the announcement said.
The enforcement director added that the owners will take back the demolished auto-rickshaws from the spot and will also receive papers and documents of the destroyed vehicles.
Later, on basis of the papers the owners can procure new vehicles against the destroyed ones, he mentioned.
'Scrap committee' will oversee the process of replacement. The committee will further scrutinise owner's documents and finally provide the authorisation for replacement, according to the BRTA.
Dhaka Metropolitan CNG-run Auto-rickshaw Owners Association president Barkatullah Bulu expressed doubts whether BRTA would be able to deal with the replacement of such a large number of three-wheelers within this short timeframe.
Expressing satisfaction over the decision, General Secretary of Dhaka Auto-rickshaw Workers Union Mohammad Hanif Khokan said, they were hopeful that the BRTA would be able to complete the job within due time.