Drivers of battery-run three wheelers staged demonstration blocking roads in Dhaka’s Rampura and Demra Staff Quarter areas for the second consecutive day on Monday demanding withdrawal of a ban on the movement of the vehicle in the capital.
Vehicular movement remained suspended for around one hour in the areas, causing immense suffering to commuters.
Ariful Islam, assistant commissioner (traffic-north) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said three-wheeler drivers took to the Rampur road and started chanting slogans against the government decision around 10:30am.
Paltan and Sayedabad-bound buses from Rampur remained could not move due to the demonstrations, he said, adding that later the protesters headed towards Malibagh’s Abul Hotel.
Vehicular movement returned to normal around 11:30pm, he added.
He informed that hundreds of vehicles got stuck on Khilgaon and Malibagh flyovers due to the demonstration.
Moreover, three-wheeler drivers took to Hajjinagar Road in the Demra Staff Quarter area and blocked it by putting barricades around 10am.
The drivers also tried to vandalise vehicles but failed, said Mostain Billah Ferdous, assistant commissioner of Demra Traffic under the DMP.
On Sunday, several hundred three-wheeler drivers gathered in the Mirpur-10 intersection to press home their demand.
They staged demonstration in Mirpur, Pallabi, Agargaon, Taltola, Kalshi and Mirpur-13 areas.
Earlier on Wednesday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader instructed the authorities concerned to take steps to stop the movement of battery-run three wheelers on the roads in Dhaka city.