Drivers of battery-operated auto-rickshaws occupied key roads in Dhaka on Thursday (21 November), in a mass protest against a recent High Court directive banning their vehicles.
Major thoroughfares, including Agargaon, Kalyanpur, Gabtoli, Technical, Mohakhali, Mohammadpur, Pallabi, and Demra, were blocked, leaving the city's traffic paralysed and commuters stranded.
The protests reached a critical point at Mohakhali railway crossing, where demonstrators effectively shut down vehicular movement in the area.
Similar disruptions were reported in Kalyanpur, Agargaon, and Pallabi, with protesters reportedly planning to gather en masse at Mirpur-10.
Speaking about the situation, Yasina Ferdous, additional deputy Commissioner of Traffic-Mirpur Division, stated: "Since this morning, drivers of battery-operated rickshaws have been protesting on roads in Agargaon, Kalyanpur, and Pallabi. We have learned they plan to convene at Mirpur-10 for further demonstrations."
The unrest follows a High Court ruling issued on Tuesday (19 November), instructing authorities to halt the operation of battery-operated rickshaws in Dhaka Metropolitan Area within three days.
The court also issued a rule questioning why the authorities' inaction in banning these vehicles should not be deemed illegal.
Tensions escalated on Wednesday (20 November), when rickshaw drivers staged protests at Dayaganj intersection, clashing with police at one point.
Two police officers were injured in the altercation. Demonstrators also staged protests for several hours between Kazipara and Shewrapara, severely disrupting the daily commute for city residents.
The demonstrations have caused significant distress among commuters, with the widespread road blockades bringing the capital’s traffic to a standstill.
