Dhaka, May 14:

One of the first things that attract the attention of a foreigner here is the colourfully decorated cycle rickshaws, the lifeline of the common man, on which about 10 per cent of the 140 million-plus population of Bangladesh depends for transport.

Rickshaws were introduced in Dhaka some 70 years ago, and today millions of commuters in this country rely on them for their daily transportation. According to a rough estimate - senior citizens say there are so many rickshaws that even the government offices cannot provide exact figures - there are between two to four million cycle rickshaws in Bangladesh.

In Dhaka city alone there must be approximately one million. The rickshaws here are different from those in India and Pakistan - they are taller and narrower.

However, they are far more attractive. The owners painstakingly decorate their rickshaws with paint, colourful plastic cutouts, small toys or even draw pictures on the hood and any visible surface.

They also provide the cheapest mode of transport for short distances, and the fare is always negotiable. You just have to pay taka 8-10 to travel one-km. That these rickshaws hold a special place in the hearts of Bangladeshis is obvious. One such tastefully decorated brand new rickshaw is kept on an illuminated pedestal in the main lobby of Dhaka Sheraton.

It has ‘Ma’ (Mother) painted in bold in Bangla on one side of the hood. The rickshaw has been in the hotel for four years and, in many ways, is an icon of Bangladesh. These three-wheeler rickshaws ply in hill areas too, like the Chittagong hill tracts in the south and Sylhet in the east and Garo Hills in Mymenshing in the north.The people plying them are those who have come to Dhaka in search of better livelihood.

Many people are moved by the plight of these rickshaw pullers. They say administration and governments over the years have done little to help them.