Photo: Collected
Hundreds of battery-run rickshaw drivers and workers are demonstrating by blocking the roads in Dhaka's various locations, demanding the withdrawal of last week's High Court order that sought steps to immediately remove the three-wheelers from the city's streets due to safety concerns.
The areas include Jatrabari, Mohammadpur, Dhaka Udyan, Basila, Shahbagh, Science Laboratory, and Dhanmondi. Vehicular movement in these areas has been severely disrupted, forcing commuters to walk or find alternative ways to go to their destinations.
Armed with sticks, several hundred protesters blocked the busy Jatrabari intersection and stopped vehicular movement at around 10:45am, said Assistant Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Jatrabari Traffic Zone Akhtaruzzaman.
"They are demanding the withdrawal of the High Court order. To ease the congestion, traffic has been diverted via the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover," he added. Locals claimed the agitated protesters attacked some other vehicles' drivers, passersby, and nearby establishments.
A similar scene unfolded in different spots of Mohammadpur, including Mohammadpur bus stand, Basila and Dhaka Udyan, where drivers and workers gathered to voice their grievances. Additionally, other groups are also attempting to barricade the roads in the areas mentioned above, according to witnesses.
The protests, which started last Thursday (21 November) and have been taking place every day since, stems from a High Court order issued on (19 November), directing authorities to halt the movement of battery-powered auto-rickshaws within three days.
Yesterday (23 November), the Rickshaw, Battery Rickshaw-Van, and Easybike Sangram Parishad at a rally issued a seven-day ultimatum for authorities concerned to finalise a guideline formulated specifically for them to operate on Dhaka streets.
Demanding a re-evaluation of the High Court order, the drivers and workers sought permission to operate following the implementation of the guideline. They also presented a seven-point charter of demands aimed at resolving their challenges and securing their livelihoods.
However, the organisation did not announce any specific programmes for today.
Messenger/Tareq
