On the bustling 60-kilometer stretch of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway—a lifeline for trade and travel in Bangladesh – three-wheelers have become both a menace and a grim reality.
Despite being officially banned, CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, battery-operated rickshaws, Nasimans, and Karimans dominate the roads, leaving behind a trail of death, destruction, and despair.
For many families along this route, the highway has transformed into a corridor of tragedy.
A highway haunted by accidents
The Dhaka-Chattogram highway, codenamed N1 – national highway one, is the busiest highway in the country, with approximately 30,000 vehicles passing through daily. It serves as the primary artery for transporting goods from Chattogram Port to other parts of Bangladesh. Yet, amidst the roar of trucks, buses, and cars, three-wheelers weave recklessly through traffic, often driving in the wrong direction or darting across lanes at U-turns. These actions have turned what should be a lifeline into a killing field.
In recent weeks, the toll has been devastating:
On April 4, Sadia Yasmin Juthi, an SSC examinee, lost her life when a speeding bus struck the battery-powered rickshaw she was riding. The accident occurred on the Baratakia bypass while the rickshaw attempted to cross the road.
The Same day, a bus swerved to avoid hitting a battery-powered rickshaw near the Mirsarai Municipal Sadar bypass, crashing into a tree instead. Fifteen passengers sustained injuries.
Days earlier, Jasim Uddin, an auto-rickshaw driver, died in a collision in the Mastannagar area. On the same stretch, Shahadat Hossain, a motorcyclist from Lakshmipur district, succumbed to his injuries after colliding with a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw traveling in the opposite direction.
These incidents are not isolated; they are part of a recurring pattern that claims lives almost weekly. Just months ago, five people—including three members of the same family—were killed instantly when their vehicle collided with a parked CNG-powered rickshaw on the Baratakia Khaiyachhara Jharna road.
A ban ignored, rules flouted
The presence of three-wheelers on the highway defies logic—and the law. In August 2016, legislation was enacted banning these vehicles from plying the highway due to their role in causing accidents. For nearly eight years, strict enforcement kept violations in check. Police routinely detained drivers, confiscated vehicles, and issued fines. Fear of legal consequences deterred most rickshaw operators from venturing onto the highway.
However, since July-August of last year, enforcement has ground to a halt. The result? A resurgence of reckless behaviour.
Drivers now brazenly flout the ban, operating openly even in front of police checkpoints. According to locals, some drivers pay brokers to secure "tokens" allowing them to operate without interference.
Conscious citizens lament the lack of accountability. "How can these vehicles run freely if the highway police aren't complicit?" asks a local resident who requested anonymity. "It's clear that bribes and corruption are letting them get away with breaking the law."
Voices of authority amidst chaos
Sarkar Abdullah Al Mamun, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Zorarganj Highway Police Station, acknowledges the growing problem but admits there’s little he can do. "We are conducting campaigns," he says, "but stopping all three-wheelers is impossible. When we try to seize vehicles or file cases, drivers react aggressively toward us."
Critics accuse the police of overreacting during raids, yet Mamun insists operations continue. Still, the sheer volume of violators overwhelms available resources. With limited manpower and widespread noncompliance, enforcing the ban remains an uphill battle.
Living with loss or disability
For those who survive encounters with three-wheelers, life is forever altered. Many victims live with permanent disabilities, unable to work or care for themselves. Families are left shattered, struggling to cope with medical bills and emotional trauma.
Take the case of Saiful Islam, a motorcyclist killed after being hit by a battery-powered rickshaw in Naiduari. His family mourns not just his loss but also the financial burden his death leaves behind. Stories like his underscore the human cost of lax enforcement and unchecked chaos on the highway.
A call for action
The carnage on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway demands urgent attention. While laws exist to protect travellers, they remain meaningless without proper implementation. Unless authorities take decisive action—whether through increased patrols, stricter penalties, or addressing systemic corruption—the highway will continue to claim innocent lives.
Until then, the clash between convenience and safety rages on. For thousands of commuters, every journey carries the risk of becoming another statistic in the grim ledger of highway tragedies.