Battery-driven rickshaw drivers stage demo in Mirpur, attack on buses

The drivers and owners of battery-driven rickshaws have staged demonstrations at Mirpur-10 in protest against the recent operation of the police to stop plying of battery-powered rickshaws on the roads in the capital in order to reduce accidents.

Jasim Uddin, deputy commissioner of Traffic Mirpur Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said that apart from attacking some buses, the agitated battery-powered rickshaw drivers also beat pedal rickshaw pullers.

They besieged Mirpur-10 intersection from 10:00am today (May 19), he said.

Jasim Uddin said, “Battery-operated rickshaw drivers and many people associated with this business have blocked the Mirpur -10 intersection. As a result, traffic is stopped in that area. They are doing this because of the recent police operation."

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday last announced that no battery-operated rickshaws will be able to ply on the roads of Dhaka.

He said, "We have banned battery operated rickshaws on 22 highways. Not only prohibition, measures should be taken so that it cannot continue."

In the meeting with the minister at the BRTA building, the two mayors of Dhaka also agreed to stop the movement of these battery-powered vehicles in the city.

Meanwhile, the Rickshaw, Battery Rickshaw-Van and Easy-bike Sangram Parishad has announced to organize a rally and procession in front of the National Press Club on Monday demanding the withdrawal of the ban on battery-powered rickshaws in the capital.

The organization announced this program in a press release on today.