Battery-run rickshaw drivers block Mohammadpur roads again
Rickshaw drivers have been blocking roads continuously for the past few days in protest against the ban on battery-powered rickshaws in Dhaka. As part of their ongoing protests, drivers have been blocking roads in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, since Sunday morning (November 24), causing severe traffic congestion in Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Mirpur, and Gabtoli, resulting in significant public inconvenience.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ali Ifthekhar Hasan of Mohammadpur Police Station told Jago News that around 10:30 am, rickshaw drivers suddenly blocked the roads at the Beribandh intersection and Dhaka Udyan area in Mohammadpur, halting traffic. A sufficient number of police forces were deployed to control the situation.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the rickshaw drivers also blocked roads in various areas, including Doyaganj in Jatrabari, Mirpur, and Kalyanpur. On Thursday (November 21), the protests continued as drivers gathered in areas such as Mohakhali, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Gabtoli, and Demra from 9:30 am, creating intense traffic jams and causing public distress.
In addition to blocking roads, the drivers also staged a sit-in on the railway tracks at the Mohakhali level crossing. This led to a complete halt to traffic in Mohakhali and surrounding areas. Due to the blockade of the railway tracks, train services from Dhaka to other parts of the country were suspended for passenger safety.
On Friday (November 22), auto rickshaw drivers also blocked roads and railway tracks in the Jurain area of Dhaka, leading to the suspension of train services on the Padma Bridge route. They were later dispersed by locals.
Meanwhile, on November 19, the High Court issued an order directing the authorities to stop battery-powered rickshaws from operating within the Dhaka metropolitan area within three days. This order came after a writ petition filed by the Pedal Rickshaw Association was heard. The bench, consisting of Justice Fatema Nazeeb and Justice Mahmoodur Razi, instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs, Local Government Ministry, IGP, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and relevant authorities to enforce the order.
The court also issued a rule asking why the inactivity of the concerned authorities regarding the banning of battery-powered rickshaws should not be declared illegal.
The court stated that there is no provision for licensing battery-powered rickshaws, rendering them completely illegal. The very next day, rickshaw drivers protested by blocking roads at Doyaganj, demanding the continuation of battery-powered rickshaw operations on Dhaka's streets.
