United News of Bangladesh

Auto-rickshaw drivers in Shreepur of Gazipur withdrew their blockade of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway after about one and a half hours on Sunday, following police intervention. The drivers had blocked the highway in the morning, demanding legal permission to operate auto-rickshaws and an end to alleged police harassment, causing severe traffic disruption. According to police, around 200 to 250 auto-rickshaw drivers gathered in the New Market area of Shreepur and halted vehicular movement on the busy highway. The blockade led to long tailbacks, inconveniencing commuters, students and pedestrians.  Traffic movement returned to normalacy around 10:00am after police cleared the protesters from the road. Officer-in-Charge of Shreepur Police Station Md Nasir Uddin said multiple police teams were deployed to bring the situation under control. Read More: Law Adviser urges social resistance to prevent public suffering from road blockade Police worked to remove the protesters from the highway and restore normal traffic flow, he added.  

Auto-rickshaw drivers blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar for about one and a half hours on Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of fines and removal of restriction on their movement. Members of the Auto-rickshaw Drivers Association started the protest around 11 am by placing their vehicles on the road in  Pakiza area, bringing traffic on the Dhaka-bound lane to a standstill and causing long tailbacks. The association alleged that money was being illegally collected from moving auto-rickshaws and protested against recent fines imposed for violating traffic rules. Locals said slow-moving auto-rickshaws have long been operating on Dhaka-Aricha highway despite restrictions, which has led to a rise in accidents. Following complaints from locals, Savar Highway Police began enforcing rules and fined drivers Tk 26 each for violations. Angered by the action, the drivers staged the road blockade to press their demands. Police from Savar Model Police Station reached the spot around 12:30 pm and called the drivers for talks. Savar ‘serial killer’ confesses to six murders: Police The protesters then withdrew, restoring traffic movement. Arman Ali, Officer-in-Charge of Savar Model Police Station, said the situation was brought under control and traffic on the highway is now normal.

Auto-rickshaw drivers and light vehicle workers organised a human chain in front of the National Press Club on Thursday demanding food support and allowing their operation by ensuring health safety rules. Addressing a rally during the human chain organised by the Bangladesh Auto-Rickshaw Light Vehicle Transport Workers Federation (BALTWF), the leaders of the organisation said that their members could not work during the lockdown. President of the BALTWF Abul Hossain presided over the rally. "This restriction ultimately put us in big trouble as we have become unemployed and our families will have to go hungry during Ramadan," said Golam Faruk, secretary of the BALTWF. He noted that the organisation had already appealed to different government offices for direct food and cash aid so that their families could survive. But this time no charitable person or organisation is coming forward to help the starving people while government assistance has not yet reached us, the leader said.

Drivers of CNG-run auto-rickshaws are passing their days amid great miseries as they have been left without work amid the nationwide shutdown aimed at curbing the coronavirus.