Bangladeshi rickshaw drivers are in a cycle of despair. As Dhakas population swelled in recent years with more rural migrants seeking a better life, so too did competition and crime.
Police say they believe there are more than 1.000 rickshaw thieves in the capital, belonging to nearly 50 gangs. They extract around 100.000 taka every day by stealing and re-selling rickshaws.
Rickshaw pullers say they also face problems due to a government drive to ease Dhakas torturous traffic jams by banning rickshaws on many streets.
The World Bank recently said it would give a 7,5 million US dollar soft loan to a project for helping thousands of rickshaw pullers who have already been driven off the streets.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
