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Bdnews24.com Dhaka's cab firms are on the verge of collapse as 70 percent of licensed cabs have been written off the roads, according to a government estimate. Out of the total 10,857 taxis licensed to ply city streets, 7,500 cabs have been forced to retire from service, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority said in a report submitted to communication ministry in July.
BRTA has invited applications for their replacement, but have received only 1,223 so far.
Carjacking and bad drivers are two main causes for the cab crisis, BRTA and concerned businessmen say.
BRTA officials also fear that the collapse of the taxicab sector will encourage CNG-run autorickshaws, as well as those cabs still plying the streets, to charge extortionate fares to city commuters.
"More than 7,500 out of the total 10, 857 taxicabs have been forced off the roads up to July this year," BRTA's director (engineering) Humayun Rashid Khalifa told bdnews24.com.
He said he had a number of meetings with the owners of taxi firms in an attempt to revive the sector, but they were unforthcoming, saying carjacking had made them almost bankrupt.
"Owing to the fall in taxicabs, CNG-autorickshaw drivers have become more desperate in collecting extra fares from passengers," said the director.
He said BRTA was working hard to check passenger harassment by the CNG-run 'baby taxi' drivers.
"It is very disappointing that we got only 1,223 applications against the available 7,500 route permits. None can say whether the taxicab sector can go on without resolving these problems," Khalifa said.
Managing director of Noah Cabs, KM Abdul Khaleque told bdnews24.com that the number of taxicab companies was now reduced to a paltry five from around 42 just five years ago.
"Carjacking, poor road conditions and in particular the bad drivers have made us almost bankrupt. We cannot bring drivers in line. They do not listen to us at all," Khaleque told bdnews24.com.
As the number of professional drivers was so low, cab owners are forced to take bad drivers to run their business.
"Sixty of my cabs have been snatched. I have filed cases, but got no redress," Khaleque added.
The businessman said he had 325 route permits, but ran only 125 cabs.
The government has also enforced the condition that the cab companies must replace any old 800cc vehicles with a minimum 1200cc for passenger comfort and safety.
"I don't dare introducing 1200cc cars. Because, if one of the cars is snatched, I will not be able to survive," said Khaleque.
The BRTA in its report also mentioned carjacking and inefficient drivers as two main causes for collapse of the sector.
"We are just struggling to survive," GM Seraj, owner of Cabex, told bdnews24.com.
Seraj admitted he had been forced to default on loan repayments because of poor business.
The government boosted the capital's taxicab sector in 1998 to provide passengers with better transport facilities at affordable cost.
Primarily, 2,000 cabs were introduced in Dhaka before the number rose to 10,857.
Of the total, 4,407 cabs are registered as air-conditioned yellow cabs. Most non-AC cabs are 800cc Suzuki models imported from India during the previous BNP-led government.
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