Auto-rickshaw drivers torch Kalshi traffic police box

A group of aggrieved batter-run auto-rickshaw drivers torched a traffic police box at Kalshi intersection of Mirpur in the capital Dhaka on Sunday afternoon.

They set the traffic police box on fire around 4:20 pm, said Pallabi Police Station inspector (investigation) Mokhlesur Rahman.

He said, "The protesters (auto-rickshaw drivers) are doing violent movement and they torched a traffic police box at Kalshi intersection." 

"We are on the scene and taking necessary measures in this regard," he added.

Earlier, the auto-rickshaw drivers blocked the road in Kalshi for around two hours.

Jashim Uddin Molla, deputy commissioner (DC) of Mipur Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, had earlier told Jago News that the movement of auto-rickshaws was stopped in Mirpur area after a High Court order.

Protesting against the decision, the auto-rickshaw drivers gathered at Mirpur-10 intersection this morning and staged a demonstration, suspending vehicular movement in the area, he said.

After around four hours, police removed the protesters from the road around 4:30 pm and later, they might have torched the traffic police box at Kalshi, the official added.

Mirpur Police Station officer in-charge Munshi Sabbir said the auto-rickshaw drivers vandalized three buses during the protest.

On May 15, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader in a meeting at Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) headquarters asked not to allow the movement of batter-run auto-rickshaws in the capital.

TT/MSU