Army disperses rickshaw drivers blocking roads, railways tracks

The army dispersed rickshaw drivers blocking roads and railway tracks in Mohakhali, Dhaka, on Thursday, who were protesting the ban on battery-powered rickshaws. 

The blockade caused severe traffic congestion and disrupted train services as drivers sat on the railway tracks. Army personnel chased them off the tracks, forcing them to vacate the area.

In Rampura, an army team arrived, prompting the protesting rickshaw drivers to flee the roads. Local residents and pedestrians also assisted in dispersing them. As a result, traffic flow resumed in the affected areas.

The protests began between 9:30 am and 10:00 am in several areas of Dhaka, including Mohakhali, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Gabtoli, and Demra.

The demonstrations 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 was issued after the initial hearing of a writ petition by a bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Mahmudur Razi.

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 enforce the directive.

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