Horse carts gain popularity as mode of communication in remote char areas

Horse carts have gained much popularity as the main mode of communication among the people living in remote char areas in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts.

The people of the char and its adjacent areas of the region are using horse carts for carrying both passengers and goods as they are yet to get access to many modern amenities to the full.

Ariful (45), a driver of a horse cart of Char Thakurdas under Kawnia upazila in the district told this correspondent that presently more than three hundred such carts are being used in different char areas under Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts. People are using those carts to carry both passengers and goods where other vehicles are not available.

Moksed Ali (50), another driver of a horse cart of Mahipur char under   Gangachara upazila in Rangpur district said, that he has been involved in this profession for 12 years. A horse driven cart can carry 15-20 maunds of goods, he said. At least seven to eight passengers can also travel by a cart, he said. People travel distant places by the cart as it is difficult to ply rickshaw or other vehicles on the sandy roads of remote char areas, he further said.

Some horse cart drivers of Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts said, they usually earn Tk 300 to Tk 400 per day. But during crop harvesting period their income increases a lot, as this sort of carts are in high demand during the time for carrying different crops including paddy, maize, wheat etc. During the peak season of harvesting they earn at least Tk 800 to Tk 1000 per day. 

Nazrul Mia (55), a former union council member of Char Nazirdaho under Kawnia upazila of Rangpur said though the number of horse carts has declined in this age of technological development, it has still huge demand in the remote char areas.

People of char areas prefer it as the main mode of communication as other vehicles are not available in the areas, he added.       

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