Maungdaw, Arakan State: There will be no more motorcycle three-wheeler-taxis in Maungdaw, as the traffic department personnel are increasingly collecting more and more toll from taxis, a taxi owner said.

More than 100 such taxis with registration were sold in Maungdaw since last year for two million Kyats. They were sold by the company GBS, which has a license in Akyab, the owner added.

When a new three-wheeler arrives from Akyab, the owner has to pay 50,000 Kyats to the Municipal Office and the Traffic Department. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Thaung Htay collects 20,000 Kyats in return for a driver number and 5,000 Kyats as monthly toll, said another taxi owner.

On top of this, the traffic police stationed in Myoma Kayandan collect toll daily or whenever the police want. Most of the three wheeler taxis are running to and from Maungdaw with passengers, said a local from Myoma Kayandan village.

The traffic police only collect toll from the Rohingya community, who account for 95 per cent of three wheeler taxi owners, the local said. “Police don’t collect any tolls from any other community [Rakhine].”

The Rohingya community, who want to do business legally in Maungdaw, are always paying toll or facing other forms of harassment from the authorities in pursuit of their business, said a teacher from Maungdaw.

“If it is going to continue like this, no more three-wheeler-taxis will be brought to Maungdaw by the  Rohingya community because of the harassment of the authorities,” the teacher said.