TL;DR:
- -High Court orders complete ban on battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka within 3 days, affecting thousands of drivers’ livelihoods.
- -Hundreds of rickshaw drivers blocked major roads and rail lines at Mohakhali, Agargaon, and Mirpur-10 areas on Thursday morning.
- Rail communication between Dhaka and other parts of the country suspended from 9:45 AM due to protests at Mohakhali crossing.
- Protests enter second day as drivers demand government rehabilitation before implementing the ban on approximately 800,000 vehicles.
Battery-run rickshaw drivers blocked major roads and rail lines across Dhaka on Thursday morning, causing severe traffic disruptions and transportation chaos in response to a High Court ban on their vehicles.
The protests erupted after the High Court ordered authorities on Tuesday to halt the operation of battery-powered rickshaws within the Dhaka metropolitan area within three days. The demonstrations began at approximately 9:00 AM when hundreds of drivers blocked key intersections including Mohakhali, Agargaon, and Mirpur-10.
The situation escalated when protesters occupied the Mohakhali rail crossing at 9:45 AM, forcing a suspension of rail services connecting Dhaka with most parts of the country. “Rail communication remains suspended,” confirmed Khairul Kabir, divisional transport officer of Bangladesh Railway.
At the Mohakhali intersection, over a hundred auto-rickshaw drivers gathered to voice their concerns. “The demonstration caused severe traffic congestion on both sides of the road,” stated Rasel Sarwar, officer-in-charge of Banani Police Station.
The protests mark the second consecutive day of demonstrations, following similar blockades in Agargaon and Jatrabari areas on Wednesday. The drivers are demanding government intervention and rehabilitation measures before implementing the ban.
According to the Dhaka Auto Rickshaw Workers Union, approximately 800,000 battery-powered rickshaws currently operate in the city. These vehicles have been operating despite existing restrictions on their use on main roads, leading to recent enforcement actions by authorities.
The High Court’s decision, delivered by Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Mahmudur Razi, aims to address concerns about unauthorized vehicles operating on Dhaka’s streets. However, the immediate implementation of the ban has sparked significant resistance from the affected drivers who rely on these vehicles for their livelihood.
Source: The Daily Star
