Rickshaw pullers blocked the Shahbagh intersection on Monday morning, demanding a ban on battery-operated autorickshaws, which brought traffic to a standstill on surrounding roads.

The protest began at around 10:30 am when rickshaw pullers obstructed the Shahbagh intersection.

According to the protesting rickshaw pullers, battery-run autorickshaw drivers were undercutting fares, charging passengers only Tk20 where the fare should be Tk50, leaving them without passengers.

They further complained that the income they made from pulling rickshaws all day was insufficient to support themselves or their families.

The protesters also said that autorickshaws, which previously operated in alleyways, were now running on main roads. They claimed that autorickshaws on main roads disregarded traffic rules, leading to traffic congestion and accidents.

Earlier, on May 15, former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader had directed authorities to ensure that battery-operated rickshaws were banned from operating on Dhaka city roads.

On May 19, autorickshaw drivers protested the police seizure of their vehicles by blocking the Mirpur 10 intersection in the capital. They vandalized buses and set fire to a police box at the Kalshi intersection in Mirpur.

The following day, in response to the protests, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina permitted battery-operated rickshaws to continue operating in Dhaka.

BDST: 1253 HRS, AUG 26, 2023
SMS