This clandestine operation has been taking place right on the seizing spots as well as in the dumping ground by on-duty police, rendering the drive launched on October 12 to check any increase of unauthorised rickshaws before the upcoming Eid entirely meaningless.

Though there are only about 80,000 valid rickshaws in the city, some four lakh illegal rickshaws using duplicate numberplates are plying the city roads creating heavy traffic congestion.

In the dumping ground at Agargaon, owners of many seized rickshaws with valid papers alleged they have to pay Tk 50 to Tk 100 as entry fee to the ground just to find out if their rickshaws are among the 2000 to 3000 rickshaws dumped there.

Rickshaw owners alleged one have to pay Tk 400 to Tk 1,000 to release a rickshaw even though it has all the valid papers to meet the costs best known by the on-duty policemen.

But, when asked, police Sub-Inspector Abul Kashem in charge of the dumping site denied the allegation saying, "No money is being taken to release rickshaws having valid papers."

Earlier, during a visit at about 12.30pm to New Market in front of Balaka Cinema Hall, about 20 rickshaws were found being seized. A number of their owners are seen engaged in negotiation with brokers in presence of traffic sergeants and police to procure release of their vehicles.

One Mohammad Golap was bargaining with a broker to get back his rickshaw seized a few minutes ago from the New Market area. At first, he proposed to give Tk 300, but eventually the deal was settled at Tk 700 to get his rickshaw back.

Although representatives of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) were supposed to accompany the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) teams, DMP traffic teams alone are conducting the seizing, as the DCC's officials concerned have been engaged in renewing rickshaw licences since October 24.