Severe traffic congestion in Dhaka as rickshaw drivers block roads

Rickshaw drivers have staged road blockades in several areas of Dhaka, including Mohakhali, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Gabtoli, and Demra, to protest the ban on battery-powered rickshaws in the city, causing severe traffic congestion and public inconvenience. 

The protests began between 9:30 am and 10:00 am on Thursday (November 21), as rickshaw drivers gathered in these areas. Despite police efforts to disperse them, the drivers refused to leave.

When contacted, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Traffic-Gulshan Division Md. Ziaur Rahman told Jago News that the drivers blocked the Mohakhali intersection after 9:30 am. Around 1,500 to 2,000 drivers gathered on foot, leaving their rickshaws behind, and suddenly started the blockade.

"We requested them to clear the roads, but they did not comply, leading to traffic congestion in Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Banani, Gulshan, and nearby areas," he added.

ADC Yasina Ferdous of Traffic-Mirpur Division said that drivers blocked roads in Mirpur’s Mazar Road, Darus Salam, Kazipara, and Shewrapara areas and were moving towards the Mirpur-10 roundabout. She added that police were on high alert to manage the situation.

Mohammadpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ali Iftekhar Hasan confirmed that drivers staged a blockade at Mohammadpur’s Tin Rasta intersection around 10:00 am, causing significant traffic jams and inconvenience to hundreds of people. Additional police forces were deployed in the area to control the situation.

The protests followed a High Court directive issued on Tuesday, ordering a halt to the operation of battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka Metropolitan areas within three days. The directive came after the initial hearing of a writ petition, with a bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Mahmudur Razi issuing the order.

The court also issued a ruling asking why failure to take action against battery-powered rickshaws should not be declared illegal. Authorities, including the Home Secretary, Local Government Secretary, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and both Dhaka city corporations, were instructed to implement the directive.

In response to the order, battery-powered rickshaw drivers staged similar protests on Wednesday in areas such as Jatrabari’s Dayaganj, Mirpur, and Kalyanpur.