Autorickshaw drivers block Press Club road over demands

Autorickshaw drivers blocked the road in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Monday morning, pressing several demands.

Hundreds of drivers took to the road after 10:30 AM bringing traffic to a standstill on both sides of the road. The protest also disrupted auto-rickshaw services across much of the capital.

Autorickshaw driver Sahed Ali said, "they blocked the road to protest, among other issues, the disconnection of electricity at places where they charge their vehicles."

“We have blocked the road over several demands, including the disconnection of electricity at autorickshaw charging points. We will not leave the road unless our demands are met,” he said.

He also alleged that traffic police harass auto-rickshaw drivers and impound their vehicles, often filing cases carrying fines of Tk 5,000.

Another driver, Abdul Ahad said, "autorickshaws should be allowed to operate wherever roads are available."

“There are millions of auto-rickshaw drivers in the country who depend on this profession for their livelihoods. So, autorickshaw drivers should not be harassed in any way. Action should be taken against those operating illegally, but we operate legally and should not be harassed,” he said.

A visit to several areas found that auto-rickshaws were barely operating since the morning in Rampura, Badda, Malibagh, Khilgaon, Motijheel, Mirpur and Mohammadpur.

Hundreds of drivers gathered in front of the Press Club from the morning and took positions on the road around 10:30 AM. As a result, vehicular movement on both sides came to a halt, causing severe traffic congestion in the area.

Zahidul Islam deputy commissioner of police for the Ramna Division said, ''police forces were on alert to prevent any disorder during the drivers’ protest."

-MT