Experts have said a mass public transportation system must be first introduced in Dhaka before pulling out rickshaws from the roads.
A roundtable discussion titled "Dhaka city public transport and rickshaw: Reality, problems, and way forward” was held at the National Press Club on Tuesday (Nov 26), during which experts and stakeholders urged the authorities concerned not to eliminate rickshaws from the Dhaka streets.
The discussion was organized by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS).
Adil Mohammed Khan, general secretary of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), said: "At present, the rickshaw is the most important mode of transportation as there is a huge lack of mass public transport in the capital for serving a large number of middle-class passengers.
"Make public transport available, then stop the rickshaws. Otherwise, middle classes will buy private cars which will further increase traffic jam," he said.
Prof MM Akas, of the Department of Economics of Dhaka University, said: "Rickshaw pullers came from rural areas as there is a lack of employment opportunities there. We should try to create employment in rural areas to control the number of rickshaws in Dhaka.
"A separate lane for rickshaws is needed on roads where there is speeding. In addition, other roads should be permitted to run rickshaws until a better mass transportation system is adopted. However, the number of rickshaws has to be fixed."
Khandaker A Salam presented the keynote in the roundtable.