Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has advised Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) not to extend the lifespan of CNG three-wheelers beyond 15 years, reports UNB.

A letter from the Buet expert committee in this regard was received by the road transport regulator on Tuesday, its Secretary Muhammad Showkat Ali said.

About 8,421 CNG-run auto rickshaws took BTRA permission for plying on Dhaka roads for nine years from 2002. After that timeframe expired, they got 6 years' extension in three phases which ended on December 31, 2017.

The operators and drivers of the auto-rickshaws have since requested another extension. Later, the regulatory authority of road and transport sector sought assistance of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges in taking a decision over the extension of lifespan. After deciding in a meeting to seek expert opinion from BUET, the ministry through BRTA allowed the vehicles to ply till March 31, 2018.