Special Correspondent:

Thousands of unauthorized CNG-run auto-rickshaws have been moving on different roads and highways in nine upazilas of Sirajganj district with expired and unfit gas cylinders that posing serious threat of fatal explosion.

Indifference and negligence in retesting and changing gas cylinders installed in vehicles including CNG driven auto-rickshaws are the main among several other reasons behind the threat.

Experts and concerned firms feared that massive casualty may take place anytime due to blast of faulty and worn out cylinders in vehicles.

They also expressed concern over mushrooming of unauthorized CNG-run auto-rickshaws on the roads and highways in the district without any hindrance.

Many such CNG-run vehicles are believed to be fitted with cylinders that have a high risk of exploding as those were either not built for compressed natural gas (CNG) or their integrity was not timely verified.

There is no active measure as yet from the concerned department of the government to verify the fitness of the CNG cylinders, sources said.

As a result, each unfit cylinder has turned into death trap like live bomb.

Experts seem that, counterfeit CNG cylinders, which have not been verified for integrity every five years, as required, have become very dangerous for use or movement.

Unfortunately, in many cases in Sirajganj district like other parts of the country, vehicle owners are not awake to the periodic need to verify the cylinders and risk over using sub-standard or counterfeit cylinders.

There is a provision that, the CNG cylinders that have guarantees for 15 to 20 years have to be brought in every five years for a checkup by Rupantorito Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) or by the CNG conversion workshops the company designated.

The workshops verify cylinders’ integrity, submit reports and give new dates for checkups, but there is no authority to monitor, if the CNG-run auto-rickshaws plying on the streets are following the instructions or have fit cylinders, businessmen concerned said.

The incident of explosion occurs almost every day at some part of the country due to use of expired, substandard and untested gas cylinders at CNG run auto-rickshaws or cars that claiming many lives.

Sometimes, many are forced to suffer crippling life after getting burn injuries.

BRTA Sirajganj Circle office sources said that, there are some 4010 registered CNG-run autorickshaws in the district. But, those registrations have not been updated or renewed in the last six years.

On the other hand, according to the unauthorized sources, there are about 40,000 CNG run auto-rickshaws in the district, which are plying on different roads and highway regularly. Those vehicles are carrying expired, substandard and unfit gas cylinders that posing serious explosion threat.

Hafizul Islam, Motor Vehicle Inspector of BRTA Sirajganj Circle Office told The Daily Sky that, “Only two vehicles came to us for their fitness check up in a year. If drivers or owners are not aware about it, what can we do?”

He however, claimed that, “BRTA in collaboration with the district administration sometime conduct drives against such vehicles. But, the measures termed as inadequate compared to the need as BRTA faces acute crisis of manpower.”

“We can’t conduct drive regularly against such risky and unauthorized vehicles as per need due to shortage of necessary officers,” he added.

According to a statistic provided by the BRTA Sirajganj Circle office after applying RTI act, “Some 588 drives have been conducted in five years from 2019 to 2023 against different vehicles for violating rules and regulations. Besides, drives to prevent movement of unauthorized and unfit vehicles on roads and highways in the district are underway.”

Civil society members opined that, the concerned administration should beef up their surveillance in this regard. If drive is continued, the plying of such unauthorized and risky vehicles will come to reduce. It will save the lives of commuters.

Mofakkharul Islam Mithu, Traffic Inspector (Admin) in Sirajganj told The Daily Sky that, “We are trying to conduct drive with the help of district administration and joint forces to resist movement of unfit and unauthorized vehicles in the district. But, there is a need to create public awareness for saving of lives.”